Hoshito's Odyssey
by ArthurEKing
Summary: We have Ancient Prophecies, Immortal Gods, and Universal Peril like you've NEVER seen before! Can Hoshito save the Universe from total Annihilation? You'll have to read it to find out! ***COMPLETE*** WOOHOO!
1. The Prophecy

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  


Disclaimer: Okay, before anything else, neither the Dragonball universe, nor any of it's characters, belong to me. Whoever does own it, I thank them, but they aren't me. So if you want to pay someone, pay them.

  
  


Author's note: This is the SECOND story of Hoshito the born-again Saiyajinn. You really should read "I Wish" before this, but in the event that you choose not to, there will probably be a few events that make very little sense to you. Hopefully these events will be few and far between, but consider yourself forewarned. Also, seeing as this was created for the Dragonball Z World MUD, some liberties with the story line, and characters have been taken. So if you see your character doing something Out-Of-Character, oh well. Tell me and I might think of changing something. Also, all DBZ World Mud Characters (non-immortals at least) featured in this story have given their approval, so don't come complaining to me that I didn't tell you, I did.

  
  


Now onto the actual story.

  
  
  
  


I don't know how long I had been floating around in space. It could have been days, or it could have been years. Whichever it was, most of the time, I was engaged in exercise. Just because I knew that I'd never be powerful enough to change the past, didn't mean that my new Saiyajinn blood would allow me to neglect the present, or my training.

And so my days were filled with blood and sweat, my nights with uncried tears. I existed for no reason other than to fight, and I guess that would have to be enough.

Still, something in me yearned for more. Something in me wanted to do something with my life. Wanted me to mean something, to someone. But of course, it didn't matter what I meant to them. Good or bad, it's all the same.

It was a very long time until something changed. I didn't even notice it at first, so intent was I on pushing my body beyond it's limits. That is until the incessantly flashing light finally caught my attention. We were approaching a planet, and the computer was wondering if I wanted to land.

The emptiness inside me wouldn't take no for an answer, and to be honest, I was beginning to miss the company of other people. Besides, I needed to restock the ship anyways. So I keyed in the proper sequence, and started the final approach. I turned the gravity machine back down from the thousand times normal gravity that it had been set at, strapped myself into the chair, and settled down, to wait.

  
  
  
  


A little green boy pointed up into the sky, asking his care-giver in a voice far too low for so small a frame, "What's that?" The older being looked up into the sky, saw the long trailing light, and the ball of fire, and immediately picked up his child and ran to the house.

"Vorack, stay here, and tell Nilsom to contact the Honoured-Elder. Morn will want to know about this."

The child was frightened, but obedient. His care-giver knew best after all. As he watched, the elder Namek flew off to confront this new arrival, whoever it was. Still, being curious, he couldn't help wonder what this all meant. Although you couldn't quite blame him, the child was too young to remember Frieza and his henchmen.

Vorack ran as fast as he could to the village elder, Nilsom, and told him about the bright light in the sky. Nilsom's reaction was a huge surprise to say the least. Someone who knew him less, might have said it was fear, but Vorack knew it was really just concern for his children.

"Thank you my child. I will have to tell Morn about this." The tall, thin Namek, wasn't what most thought of as an elder, having no wrinkles after all. But still, he was one of the most promising elders. Many thought that he would be next in line after Morn. Although hopefully, that wouldn't be for a very long time.

But Vorack wasn't thinking about any of this, he was only smiling up at Nilsom, and wondering just what that bright light in the sky really was. Of course, seeing as the elder knew EVERYTHING, it might be a good idea to ask...

"Umm... sir? Sorry to be rude, but do you know what that light in the sky really was?" 

Nilsom was stunned out of his reverie by the question, but managed to hold on to the mental link with the Eldest Namek for just long enough to give him the news. It was several minutes before Vorack had his answer, but Vorack was patient, and used to waiting, so he didn't mind. Instead, he just sat down, and meditated until Nilsom decided to talk.

When Nilsom finally talked, it was neither hurried, nor shocked, but merely understanding. "It was a visitor Vorack. We have a stranger. We don't know what they're like yet, but we hope they're friendly, like you and me."

Vorack had heard stories about the evil Frieza, and the nice strangers who helped the Nameks get rid of him. But those were all they were... Stories. Now there was a real alien on the planet. A shiver of something (excitement? fear?) slid up Vorack's spine. He bowed to Nilsom, and made his way out of the hut.

His heart was racing, and he wanted to know more about this stranger. Curiosity soon overtook his better judgement and his care-givers orders to stay put. So it wasn't long before he went chasing off to investigate the disturbance. 

Of course, he knew that if Morn knew about it, it wouldn't be long until the stranger would be there. So instead of trying to find where the stranger would have landed, he just went straight to the Honoured Elder's hut. It was a long walk, but he had time, knowing that his care-giver would stall the stranger, to find out just how nice they were.

  
  
  
  


"Hey, are you okay?" You know I really should've brought that gravity down a bit sooner, I just don't know my own strength anymore.

A strained grunt was his reply. He seemed to be concentrating extremely hard on something, seeing as his face was a complex combination of pain, fear, and something else. "I'll be alright."

"I'm really sorry. I've just been training so hard lately, I've forgotten just how strong I am." Not a very good apology, nor a good excuse, but it'll do. For now.

The twisted digits slowly re-aligned themselves with an audible "Pop" and the relief on the Namek's face was immediate. He let out the breath he had been keeping hold of slowly, forcing the air between puffed cheeks, and clenched teeth. Then he inhaled, a great gasping wheeze of a breath, and let it out in a more normal way.

I twisted my head down, bringing it close to his, with uncharacteristic concern in my eyes. "You're sure you're okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Your apology is more than enough." As he said this, he straightened his back, and rose once more to his feet. "Although I would ask that you try to restrain yourself for the duration of your stay on our planet. We are not used to having someone of your... abilities here."

I smiled at that, almost able to take pleasure from their incredible welcome. "Thank you. I accept your hospitality, and wish only the best of luck to your people, and your planet." I bowed low, to express my honour and thanks at receiving such a gracious welcome.

I could tell that this Namek wasn't entirely certain of me, but had obviously made some king of great decision. "I would have to see the eldest of our kind to receive a proper welcome to our new home."

I searched my memory to come up with the name. "That would be Morn, correct?" The shock on his face was priceless. "I'm from Earth too." The Namek's face relaxed then, and I laughed, a hearty chuckle that was almost real.

"Oh yeah. By the way, my name is Hoshito. What's yours?" An afterthought, not important, but a pleasantry.

His green eyes narrowed for a half-second, but relaxed, realizing that I meant no disrespect. "Mirak. Second to Nilsom, the eldest of my village, and care-giver to Vorack, though not the parent." The green man's voice was smooth as honey, and just as sweet, and I realized that this Namek could just as easily have been a singer, rather than a warrior. Perhaps I had misjudged him...

The Namek however didn't notice my stare, and turned about with a nod of his head, and single word, "Come." Certain only of their good intentions, I followed him towards the new Honoured Elder of Namek.

  
  
  
  


"Yes my child. I can do this thing for you. But why do you require it? Why would you have me awaken your sleeping powers?" Morn's voice was soft, and mellow, but with a hidden core of strength that seemed endless.

I couldn't quite understand why I had come here, only that it seemed the right thing to do, that it was something that HAD to be done, regardless of the consequences, and I told him so. "I do not know why I need this, I can only say that I do. I have a yearning for power, the power to protect those I love from harm. I have not had this yet, and I believe perhaps you might be able to help."

I felt compelled to explain myself more fully, Though the expression in his eyes neither wanted nor needed further words, only accepting what I might say, and nothing else. "Once, long ago, I failed to protect the one person who's love meant everything to me, and because of my failure they perished. Since that day, I have done nothing but try my utmost to stop such a thing from happening again. I have yearned for the power to correct the mistakes of the past, so that no one will ever fall for my inability to change the present."

Morn only nodded, understanding more fully than I might ever have guessed and made a small beckoning motion. "Come my child, and I shall see what I may do." With those words I stepped forward, and he placed his hand on my head, and closed his eyes.

So focused was I that I did not even hear the tiny footfalls behind me, did not sense the approach of one so small. Instead, my thoughts turned inwards, to the processes of my body, to the energy I felt within me still, full to bursting with the need to be used.

I could feel the presence of Morn within my thoughts, and although surprised, I gave no barrier, and allowed him to scan the fullness of my pain, and of the happenings of my life, both recent and far gone. Once more I saw Mary, huddled in the snow against the cold, once more I saw the eternal dragon hover before me as I screamed my wishes.

Even as his mind searched through my own, seeing all that I was, I knew I would not, could not be found worthy of whatever gift he might be able to give. My heart was burdened by the sorrow, and I fell to my knees, weeping openly. And yet, at the last, Morn smiled that gentle all-knowing smile, and I felt the energy welling up within me.

It was as if a dam had burst inside, and the tide swept in with a swelling wall of force that no longer would be denied. I could feel that energy pulsing in my veins, And my vision blurred, turning to utter blackness. And in that dark nothing, I once more saw that spark of light that was my soul, and saw it resonate with the soul of this other, and saw it's brilliance magnified a hundred fold, till it was as the sun itself.

Too bright it was, and at the last I closed my eyes, but to no avail, I could see it still. Deep within me, I saw that light replace all the energy in this shattered form that once was me. No, not replace, but join with. My body and soul had now been fused together, into one single entity of ultimate power. I could feel my hair lengthening and straightening even so, and the golden aura that had ever been so near the surface burst forth once more.

Beyond. I had surpassed the Super-Saiyajinn, and gone beyond. It was amazing. Not just the power, but the clarity of thought. It seemed as if the wholeness of the universe could be understood by me, if only I had the time.

It was at that very moment that my eyes fluttered open, to reveal the stark and astonished face of the Honoured Elder of Namek. It was as if he had seen within me some dire ghost and his heart could no longer withstand the strain of carrying such a burden. As one we cried out in a wordless, soundless scream of silence, our hearts anguish more powerful than any transformation might ever have been.

Both of us had fallen into unconsciousness then, and both of us awoke precisely at the same moment, one hour later to resume the conversation. To finish what we had started.

Morn lifted his head from the bed he lay upon, and looked at me, our eyes meeting across the room and the sparks flew in recognition. Almost we passed out again, but held on to consciousness like some precious thing and we managed to stand.

"So. The day of reckoning draws nigh. The time when we shall pay in full, for the errors of our forefathers. I had hoped to never see this day... It appears those hopes were all for naught." What is he saying? What does he mean? And what do I have to do with this? I said nothing though, and let the man continue. "The story I must tell you begins thousands of years ago, far beyond the memory of anyone alive."

Then his eyes took on a far-away look, and glazed over, as if not really seeing the here and now, but re-experiencing that which he related to me. "In time there shall come, one who knows not why. He shall possess a body not born, a form such as a great warrior might have. He shall carry within him a lonely heart, as of a husband bereaved. And he shall have the tortured soul, as of one destined to do great things."

"By these three things shall you know him, and by one thing more. He shall not come to us here, in the place of our beginnings. But elsewhere, a place we have only recently come to call home." Knowing the story of how Frieza destroyed the original planet Namek, I felt a chill crawl up my spine at the words of this now-eldest of the Nameks 

"It is this man, and no other, who shall undertake, unwilling at first, the task of Battling the Ultimate Evil, and cleansing our history, for good or ill. Either way, we shall be absolved of our eternal vigilance, and shall be granted either oblivion, or peace." As the echoes of the words made their way, unbidden into my mind, I denied them with the fullest force of my convictions. I almost spoke then, but Morn continued, and I felt it rude to interrupt.

"But first, let me explain. There are many secrets that have been passed on from Eldest to Eldest, in an unbroken line since Porunga, the first Namek, for whom we have named our dragon. Greatest of these is the story of the Ultimate Evil, which Porunga was responsible for creating."

"It was not his intention to create this Ultimate Evil, but rather quite the opposite. However, good intentions are often corrupted, and it was so with his. It was he who created the very first Dragonball. It was very different from the ones you know of, both on Earth and here on Namek. It was pure, and had no star in the centre, and as such was known as 'The No-Star Ball'"

"The No-Star Ball was created from the third eye of the original Eternal Dragon, which all others imperfectly reflect, and was said to be the source... Some say the dragon was the creator of the Universe, such was his power. But none know for certain. All we know is that when Porunga decided to destroy the great beast, it nearly cost us our planet."

"Great storms raged upon the surface, obliterating nearly all life. All the great brethren of Porunga were killed in the storms, not having the power of this greatest of all Nameks. In fact, such was his power, that he defeated the dragon in single combat, and took from his corpse, the great Eye. This eye Crystalized into a tiny ball, perhaps the size of a pebble, no bigger, but within this orange orb, lay all the concentrated power of the Universe."

"In fact, the power was infinite. For there was no limit to the number of wishes a person might make. And even less of a limit as to what kind of wishes one might make. It was truly the Ultimate Power. But it could not be tamed by any mortal, and twisted the mind of Porunga till in a fit of insanity, he destroyed himself utterly."

"Only one person survived at the last. That was Porunga's son, Shenlong. Finally, seeing the destruction that this power caused, he decided to get rid of it completely. But his power was not sufficient, and instead, he threw it with all his might, hoping that it might find a place to rest that could hide it for all eternity."

"Such was Shenlong's might, that the ball left our home world, and pierced the living heart of our Sun. This was the only place Shenlong could conceive of that might be forever safe from all those who might covet the Dragonball's power. But even Shenlong himself was not immune to the lure of ultimate power. That is why he took the tiny inkling of power he had managed to receive from the No-Star Ball, and used it to create what we now know of as the Namekian Dragonballs."

"Inside of each ball, Shenlong placed a number of stars. He chose the star as a symbol, so that we might never forget the geis he had placed upon us, to be ever vigilant against any who might seek to reclaim that power. For a similiar reason, he named our dragon Porunga, and kept that as the password, so that we might never forget how his father erred in judgement."

"However, in his final days, Shenlong spoke a prophesy. The words I had spoke to you before. He knew that one day, Someone would try to reclaim this most Ultimate of Evils, and laid then a geis, upon one who would carry the necessary tools to save us, to save everything."

"That person, is you."

It took a great deal of time, until I was able to wrap my mind around the words, consume them, understand them, and finally, deny them. Who was I to save the Universe, if I could not even save even one woman? So I spoke, the single syllable that was in my heart to speak. "No." It was quite some time before I could bear the heartbreak that would be wrought by that one word, but when I could, my blue eyes turned up to meet his green ones, and I spoke again.

"If I cannot save even one small girl, how am I to save the universe from this Ultimate Evil? If you put your trust in me I will only let you down. I know only that I will fail, and I will not take this burden, get yourself another 'Chosen One' for I bring nothing but death."

My words bore the splash of truth, the tiny ripples of which would be felt for ages to come.

It was only then that I noticed that someone else was in the room, it was a small Namek child, I knew not his name, but as he spoke, I felt my resolve weaken. "Then we are already doomed, and the Universe shall be destroyed, and we shall rest in oblivion. That choice is yours to make, and none can make it for you."

"Wise words my child. Now go to your care-giver, and rest. We have things to discuss." I could see the child's disappointment, but this being the Eldest Namek, he obeyed. "A fine child, but he speaks over-much, and out of turn. Even so, the child speaks true, for without you we shall be lost, and all the worlds lost with us."

"Do not put your faith in me. I will only let you down."

"We have no other to have faith in. Perhaps faith will be enough, at the end."

"Faith is never enough."

"Still. We can do nothing else."

I turned my back to him, walking away from I knew not what. It was all too much, that someone tens of thousands of years ago, had known I would be here... No. To my back I heard Morn, the most Honoured, and perhaps cursed, Elder of Namek utter but a paltry few words at my back. "You can't escape your destiny. No matter how hard you may try."

I ignored him, pushing aside the taller, thinner Namek who stood by the doorway, comforting the small child. Not knowing, not caring, I flew back to my spaceship. Almost I entered, but I demurred for a moment. I still needed food, and water, and other supplies. And perhaps a good nights rest to dull the specters of that afternoon.

I made up my mind then and there to leave in the morning, once I had restocked my ship, and taken my leave of these gracious people. I owed them that much.

  
  
  
  


Morning's first rays came gloriously over the horizon, a stunning golden hue, nearly the same as my own secret power. Still, the light held no warmth to me, for I would not let it in. To me that bright golden orb rising over the horizon was nothing but a burning ball of mostly hydrogen, and a little helium. Nothing special, just gas.

I scowled at the thought, and entered my ship, setting the co-ordinates and blasting off into space with no real objective, other than to get away from this crazy place. Prophecies, ha! Ultimate Evil, ha! I laugh at the thought... And yet, I did not laugh.

It was nearly an hour before I heard the tiny sneeze. I should have heard it before, but I was busy stuffing my face full of the delicious food. For people who drank only water, and ate nothing at all, the Nameks sure could prepare a feast. Still, hearing the sneeze brought my attention to the present.

"Who's there? Show yourself! I know you're there, Don't make me come after you. Because if I find you, I'll just throw you out the nearest airlock, and no one will be the wiser." I didn't really mean them, but the words scared the tiny Namek child I had seen the other day into revealing his hiding place beneath my bed.

"What have we here? A stowaway?" I lifted one eyebrow at him, and sneered in my most threatening manner. Being still young, he bought it, and cowered again. I laughed at his fear, and decided right then and there that I liked this child. "Come on out, I'm not going to eat you."

The child was still unsure, and still cowered slightly, though he had stopped shivering. "I won't throw you out of the airlock either," I said laughing. With those words the young green child stepped out from his hiding place, straightening his back and showing some spine.

"What's your name son? I'm Hoshito."

"Vorack." Simply put, and simply made, he extended his hand to me in a gesture of greeting. I took his small green hand, in my own large brown one, and a friendship was born, that would change two people, and between them, the Universe itself.

  
  
  
  


The child was sleeping, the even breathing and light snores proved that. I lay in my bed, unable to join him. Mary... I couldn't help you. I couldn't stop you. How am I supposed to even hope of saving the Universe? No... They must be wrong.

The thoughts kept swirling in my mind, and after a few hours, I rose from my restless tossing. I had intended to have a small bite to eat, but the food was tasteless, grey ash. So instead I moved to train, but then I realized that Vorack would be unable to handle the intense gravity.

I was frustrated, needing to do something, and not caring what. As I stood before the gravity machine, my finger almost touching the button to begin, my eyes locked on the tiny port windows the good Doctor Briefs had installed. Not normally one to bother gazing out windows, I began to turn my attention once more to the machine, but halted.

Curiousity. That was it. Pure, unsatiated curiosity. Now that the idea was there, it would not go away, so I caved, and moved to the tiny hand-sized piece of shaded glass. The stars, though I knew them to be giants, seemed to be but pinpricks of light in the distance. Distance...

Perhaps this was the answer. This was why I had been unable to sleep. Not because of a need to train, but because of a need for peace of mind. Out here, in space, there was so much distance, so much emptiness, perhaps it would be enough...

Not certain of what I was doing, only knowing that it must be done, I went to the airlock. I opened the first door, and stared out the tiny window there too for a time. Then knowing what must be done, though not why, I removed the tiny piece of golden metal encircling my finger. So small a thing, that it might mean nothing. So small a thing that it might be forever lost among the stars.

I placed the band gently upon the floor of the airlock, then stepped back, and closed my eyes. I heaped upon that tiny thing, all the accumulated memories of my life with Mary, placed upon it everything good that we had shared, I gave to it the final touch of endless loss that I might never be forgiven. Then I closed the door.

Not forgiven, but perhaps forgotten. Out here, in this endless expanse of nothing, there might be space yet that could hide this thing from me, that it might be lost forever, so that no one would ever know my secret shame. I pressed the button, the door opened into the full blackness of that space between the stars, the air rushed out to meet oblivion, and took with it that shining memory of the only woman I ever loved.

  
  
  
  


"Yes! At Last! They have given it to me!" The dark voice screeched through the black veil of night. A tattered grey cloak, dusty with age, and reeking of death surrounded the small, desiccated form, of the corpse-like God. Or at least, it was called such by the natives of this planet, a small brutish people, naturally superstitious. And they would not be far off in this.

"At last I shall have my full, fullest revenge! And all shall taste the bitter fruit of oblivion!" Mad words. The ravings of a delusional mind. And yet... There be power here.

"They thought they could hide it forever. But I knew better. I knew of the prophecy... I knew that the one would come who's arrival would herald the beginning of the end. I knew, and so I waited.... And at long last that wait has come to an end!" Even here in this crypt where nothing yet lived, the very air itself seemed to tremble in fear of those words.

"Finally! The Ultimate Power shall be MINE!" The echoes of the laughter that followed would ring in the ears of every being who could hear, ripple in the eyes of every being who could see, and startle to the core every being possessed of a soul, who had yet to cherish what little of their lives would remain if this being had his wish.

  
  



	2. Hidden Agendas

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


Part II

  
  


Hidden Agenda's

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  
  
  


Disclaimer: Two things. I don't own Dragonball (What do I look like Akira Toriama?) But I do own Hoshito. Try not to use him unless you ask me, okay? Other than him though, everything else here belongs to someone else, so even though I need the money, don't pay me. 

  
  


Author's Note: Okay, this story is more for a very specific group of people who play the MUD Dragonball Z World. So if you don't get some of the nuances, it's either because you don't play the MUD, or you didn't read the first story. Either way, you're missing out on some good stuff, so bear with, and suffer through what you don't understand. Oh yeah, and if you ARE one of the people from the MUD, and you see your character here, I've already asked you, and you said yes, so if you think your character wouldn't do that, stuff it. Just call it literary licence, and go with it, it makes for a better story anyways, so you probably shouldn't mind. If you do, email me, and we'll duke it out there. Anyways, on to the story!

  
  
  
  


This was perhaps the single most rewarding experience of my life. Never before had I trained another. Never before had I been able to. Only a year ago I had been the one in such dire need of training, knowledge, experience. Now I was passing all that on to another, and I couldn't get over how good it felt to be so important to another being. Still it was no substitute for love, but it was enough. For now.

"Wow. You really have a knack for this stuff. And you're sure you never recieved training from any of your elders? Not Nilsom, or Morn, or even Mirak?" Even though the gravity was so low I barely felt it, I could see that Vorack was suffering under the strain.

"Never... This... is... the... first... time..." He had to pause in-between words, for his breath was being expelled at such a furious rate. I had perhaps been to hard on the boy, after all, he was only eleven. I held up my hand so that he would not continue till he had caught his wind once more, and he complied. Finally once he had regained some semblance of composure, he went on.

"How could you move so fast? You were a blurr before my eyes. It was as if you were not even trying." I couldn't help but smile at the boy. How right he was. I wasn't trying. But if I had, he wouldn't be here by now, and I didn't feel like being lonely any more.

"Don't worry. I've been doing this for longer than you've been alive. Give it time. What else have we got up here?" He took the words harshly, knowing all too well, that I had not denied his previous allegation of not even trying. Still, he was hardy, and was soon standing up straight, and daring me to try again. 

I gotta admit... The kid's got spirit. Not a whole lot of brains, but he's got spirit. I took my stance, and told him to try again. His uncertain rushes at first had given away to a controlled, and cautious advance. When he first expressed a desire to train with me, I had tried to teach him as I had been taught, the very basics of martial arts, the breathing, and how to hold yourself. I had not succeeded as admirably as I might have hoped.

He tired of that rather quickly, but plowed through, and in a week, was rewarded by his first sparring lesson. He had taken to it like a fish to water though, and was soon able to put up a rather admirable defense, and occasionally throw a punch or two, when I gave him an opening. He was talented, that much was obvious, but talent was no substitution for actual experience, and I had a feeling, some might call it a premonition, that he would have that, all too soon.

  
  
  
  


A small shadow crept along the ground, silent as death. The tiny patch of pure blackness was almost imperceptibly darker than the cold hard ground. It didn't help that the clouds looming overhead blocked whatever pale light the stars and tiny sliver of moon might provide. So black the night, it was as if a great hand had reached up and plucked them from the sky, thinking such specks of light to be an obscenity.

A cool breeze wafted the faint hint of decay to the shadow, which pointedly ignored the sickly-sweet smell. It was well accustomed to such things, and would have said he enjoyed them, were it possible to feel such an emotion. No. The only feeling this thing understood, was hatred. The burning, bitter sensation of dread that followed him each morn, and filled his dreams at night.

No. There was no joy here. Only death. And that was fine by him. He lived for death, craved it. Courted it like a lover, but never gave himself wholly to it, only a piece of him at a time, until there was nothing left of him but... Death.

The pool of dank illness flowed along the ground, carrying with it this malign being. Quick, cold, silent, and efficient, this putrid waste of a man flew down the hill, across the valley floor, and in the topmost window of the tower below. Now within the confines of this place, the shadows grew thicker, almost as if they were alive. Had the shadows grown eyes, and began walking, it would not have been a surprise.

Still, they did not, they merely waited, thickening, patient till the last, and filled the air with a bright chill that seeped into the bones. The shadowy, ephemeral stuff that lay upon the stones crawled over his bare skin, sliding over his exposed flesh and leaving only a trace of oily residue, and a shiver of fear. These shadows were a thing even this evil might fear, for he was not quite dead yet.

And yet he waited. He knew not why, nor did he care. He was summoned, and would wait until his master appeared. This was his loyalty, and this was his due. This was the price he had paid for the great power he had accrued over the years. A very great deal of power it was too... And yet, when compared to his master, it was as nothing at all... A flea might pose more of a threat to his master than he would, should a flea ever think to do his master harm.

But no fear, nothing lived or moved within ten kilometres without the masters permission, and that was something he did not often give. He liked his privacy his master, which puzzled him, for why would his master summon him here? Rather than using the mental link they had established so long ago. It was a mystery, wrapped inside an enigma, and one he did not dare set his mind upon. His master would know, his master would not want his secrets revealed.

And so he sat, and waited, and pondered only the night, to keep his mind away from the desires of an immortal. He wondered why there were always clouds covering this tower, clouds so thick that even during the day, there was nearly no light. He wondered as to that charged feeling in the atmosphere that felt as if at any moment, lightening might fall from the heavens to strike down the unworthy.

He wondered upon this, and that, and a dozen other things, only to retain his focus, as the ever-present shadows made a meal of his warmth, his power, his flesh. He could feel the shadows nipping at his skin, causing great welts to rise upon him. He could feel the great coldness of this place seeping into him, seeking out the tiny bead of warmth held deep in the hidden recesses of his body.

He knew this was a test, to see just how patient, and how obedient he was. He knew that the shadows, if given enough time would tear him to shreds, tear into his very soul, until there was nothing left. He had seen the remains of those who had disappointed his master, and been forced to endure this torment, and what was left was enough to make even his gorge rise.

Still he knew that if he was patient, and truly worthy, his master would come, the shadows would recede, and he would be given a new task. If he even moved a muscle as the shadows fed from him, he would surely perish here, not only for his disobedience, but for his lack of patience. And so he held his ground, gritted his teeth, and let the shadows do what they might, and the consequences be damned. If he was to die here, it would be with at least his dignity intact, even if that was all.

Then, just as he was about to lose all hope, and give himself over completely to death, the shadows pulled back, scared into fleeing from their tasty morsel. Almost he gave thanks to his master, then remembered what His presence could do... It was almost a preferable fate to suffer death at the hands of the shadows, than to feel his masters presence for a single moment. Still, he steeled himself, and waited once more, for the command to rise.

Stand! The silent command was merciless. It gave no quarter, and brooked no failure. Even had he the will, he could never have denied his master. He had given himself to this one, and as such, was committed, and he needs must do what his master commands. He rose slowly, his legs burning from being too long idle, and the red wounds of the shadow-things, that seeped puss even now.

He stood up, rock steady, and his eyes rose with him. If he had been able to fail, his knees would have crumpled at sight of his master. But his master would not allow that, any more than he would allow the obscenity of light to enter into his domain. And so he looked upon the dried out husk of a man that was once alive.

Dead flesh still clung to old bones, the putrescence that surrounded this vile creature only worsened the feelings of dread that pervaded the room whenever he entered. At the moment, his master was in his draconic form, with the great wings and gigantic tail of a dragon, though his features remained far more like the creature he might once have been.

Worms still ate at this buffet, crawling over him, through him. Worms and bugs of every possible size, shape and description, but even they were dead. No. Not dead. Undead. In the ever-thickening greenish un-light that surrounded his masters form, he could just make out the ragged grey cloak that hung in tatters about his masters body like a pale imitation of a funeral shroud.

Still it was the eyes that had him. Within those dark, empty sockets lay two bright crimson orbs the hue of fresh, red blood. Like two glowing embers they lay within that hollow cavity of a skull and burned with a white-hot ferocity that would not be denied. It was an ancient pain that scared his features, features that might once in life, have bean considered, handsome, comely. But in death they were a but a pale imitation, a parody of life that was all the worse for it's nearly recognizable, but partially decayed body. All this, lay deep within those flame-like blood-red eyes.

Were it possible, he would have shivered, fled like a man possessed, or went stark, raving mad. But it was not possible to do such things in front of his master, he would not permit it, and so he merely stood there, awaiting his orders.

You shall bring to me the one known as Shaikoten. He has some information that is valuable to me. You shall seek him out, and bring him here, in the place where my power is strongest. Do this for me and the rewards shall be great. Fail me and you shall perish horribly. I trembled as my masters voice entered by brain, drowning out all thoughts of my own, suffocating me in his all-consuming rage.

But a word of caution. He too has been well versed in the dark arts, and is possessed of a rather great power. Be wary of this one, and do not turn your eyes from him for but a moment. He would be a worthy ally, and for you perhaps, a worthy foe. Now go, and do as I command. He turned his back upon me, and at last I could fall weeping to my knees. As the obscene presence fled my mind, I could hear his laughter still echoing within the hollow remnants of what was once my mind.

Then I took my feet, and jumped through the tiny slit in the wall, barely half a hands-breadth at the widest, that my master insisted on calling a door. As always, I was nearly crushed, and was forced to release the tiniest breath in order to pass. Risking death was so common an occurrence in my masters domain, that I thought nothing of it, even though the fear held me as always for that single brief moment of uncertainty.

Then I was through, and falling down the tower to the ground below. Almost, I didn't stop myself, but I managed, barely, to halt my descent, and flee the scene before my masters wrath was incurred once more. Hastily, I found my way to the tiny, spherical pod that I used to travel the cold emptiness of space, and set course for the planet upon which I knew I would find this "Shaikoten" My master spoke of.

Someday, he would pay for that feeling of inferiority, of helplessness, of wanton ease of my own destruction. Of course he would pay, everyone did in the end. But I never allowed myself to think those thoughts, my master would know, and kill me where I stood. Still, the thoughts were there, buried so deep I did not even know I had them, but they lay there, dormant, awaiting the moment of their release, the moment they would burst upon the scene and consume everything that stood in my path. 

Even my master... Even... Lucavex.

  
  
  
  


"Harder! You can do better than that!" I was pushing him, I know, but this boy needed it. It wasn't enough that he was already standing up in ten time his normal gravity, he had to push himself harder. He was almost as driven for power as I was. Almost. Still, even though he needed this power, and forced me to teach him, I could not fathom why.

I had set my mind into figuring out this one mystery before we set down on the next planet. One way or another, before we set down again, I would have my answer. But until that time, I was content to pass on my accumulated knowledge into this willing vessel. He sure had a long ways to go before he could even hope to reach the level of Piccolo, but then again, this Vorack probably didn't even know about that one.

He still wasn't able to control his energy, but at least he was using real technique now. His blocks, and parry's were crisp, controlled, and well done. His attacks were even more-so. Even though this was a great improvement over the mindless rushes of a month before, he was holding back. He wasn't improvising, using what worked in that specific situation, he was just doing what he had been taught.

I knew he could do better, and so I kept using attacks I hadn't shown him how to defend against. I was forcing him to come up with new ways of defending himself, create his own style, but I was careful. If I moved too fast, he wouldn't see my attack in time, and could be seriously injured.

He throw a punch at me, and I retreated out of his reach, then turned the momentary retreat into an advance by swinging my hands down, catching the ground as it was hurled up at my face, then pushed off into a backwards somersault. Then on my way down, I let my legs just barely touch the floor, the pushed off again. This time, with tensed leg muscles, I was able to reverse my direction directly into Vorack's path, charging at him.

Of course, this was something he hadn't expected, seeing as I had left most of my gymnastic skills out of our sparring matches, but was barely able to take the left on his arm before the right that was aimed for his gut made contact. He doubled over, and I instantly regretted my attack. I took him in my arms, and laid him gently on the ground. "Are you okay Vorack?" There seemed to be a note of genuine concern in my voice.

It was at that moment, that I felt the knee jap into my abdomen with uncharacteristic force. Only then did I realize his ruse, and I smiled inwardly, while outwardly I made a big show of how much he hurt me, even though I barely felt it. I bent double over my 'wound' and pretended to be seriously hurt. Of course, he took the bait, and moved to attack again. Novice.

Had it been anyone else, I would have cursed him for his ignorance, but this was Vorack, my student, and he had just proved to me that he needed to learn things the hard way. So I pulled back, twisted slightly, and straightened my leg out directly into the young Nameks way. Unable to change directions in mid-air, the child fell on my leg with the full force of both of our attacks.

He fell to the orange paneled floor, hurt. Ignoring him for the moment, I walked over to the gravity device, and turned it all the way down to one. Only then did I move over to check on the kid. "Nice one kid. You managed to pull off an original little ploy. But then you turned around and fell for the same damn thing. You gotta learn to anticipate stuff like this. There are a lot of people out there who are just as powerful, but not as nice as me." A slight lie, there were only a very few warriors in the universe that were anywhere near my power, but he didn't have to know that.

His face was a mask of pain, and I knew he wasn't kidding this time. Silently, I thanked Korin for giving me the bag of sensu beans before I left. "You gonna be okay kid? I know you aren't faking this time." Surprisingly Vorack managed to stand up, I had no idea how much this must've been hurting him. Once he had regained his feet, he closed his eyes and his face took on that self-same look of pained concentration that the elder Namek Mirak, his care-giver had had on his face after I accidentally broke his hand.

Ahhh... That's why... He's trying to heal himself... Nifty little technique... Wish I could do that too. After a few moments, I could see his muscles slowly relax and the pain leave his expression. Not even three minutes later it was over, but I could tell that whatever Vorack had just done, he had used up all the reserves of energy he had. I decided to leave the beans for when we really needed them, and hoped that, that day would never come.

  
  
  
  


"Hey! Wait up! You know, I'm not quite as spry as I used to be." The words might not have been friendly but the tone was, and the person to whom they were directed knew they were jesting. 

"Ha! That'll be the day... Heck I'm older than you are. I'm just not as lazy. Now get off your butt and get up here!" It was always like this with these two... Putting the other down with words, to give the image to those watching that they might be friend, but there was friction here. In truth, never had there been two such devoted comrades.

"I'm not lazy, I'm just trying not to make you feel bad when you see my true power!" The verbal sparring continued. 

All the while, these two were climbing the cliff face, a sheer vertical climb of several hundred metres. Sure, they could have flown up to the plateau with hardly a thought, but that would have defeated the purpose of climbing. Not only that, but it would alert the natives to their presence here. Very few of these humans on this planet were capable of flight, and those that were jealously guarded their secrets.

However, the two making their way up the steep sides of the mountain weren't human at all, even though they sure looked the part. So they climbed, and climbed, and climbed ever higher into the rarified atmosphere high above the treetops. Actually you couldn't even see the treetops because of the swirling mist of clouds that lay between.

And as they climbed, they continued speaking. Nonsense, that's what it was... Complete and utter nonsense. At least, that's what it would have appeared to be to anyone not trained in the secret code. To these two, they were in reality, discussing strategy, weighing options, and trying to determine just what they would do once they reached the top.

It's all about appearances here. If we just showed ourselves to these puny humans, they'd try to attack us, fail miserably, and in our escape we'd probably end up killing a few of them. And that would just make things worse. After what happened here, I don't blame them either. I'd be mad at me too, if Saiyajinn warriors had practically torn my world in two.

And so they climbed. The ropes and harnesses just a ruse for those who kept eyes upon them. On the planet Kaal, there were many ways of watching someone, and the humans here were adept at all of them. Of course, the ruse had to be convincing enough to fool even the most experienced watcher, so they actually were climbing, without the support of their true powers to keep them firm.

The only snag in the plan, was when the lines tangled, and all their hopes came crashing to the ground. Literally. Well, almost literally, because the second climber miraculously managed to grab an outcropping of rock on the way down. It all happened in less than the space of a second, and yet, somehow, if you had looked close enough, you would have been given the impression that he wasn't in any real danger.

Fortunately for them though, no such observant viewers were watching. But still the damage had been done, and they were about to turn back, just to be on the safe side. But the top climber wouldn't let them, and kept going ahead anyways. Headstrong that one, he wouldn't let anyone stop him, now that he was so close to his goal.

After what seemed like an agonizing second, he crested the sheer cliff, and faced the windy corridor above with a sense of exhilaration and anticipation, for the summit was only the beginning and not the end. For a moment though, he savored this small victory, breathing in the crisp air, so rarified above the clouds. However, doing this, he had forgotten to aid his fellow climber below, and only after several minutes of his tortured pleas for assistance did the lead climber reluctantly lower himself to planting the last stake, and pulling the other man up.

Together though, the surveyed the landscape for miles around. Or at least they would have, had the clouds not been in the way. Still, it was a breathtaking sight, to see those towering mounds of billowing vapors hovering below them, as if they were on a tiny island in the middle of some great expanse of white sea.

"You know, you've probably blown our cover by that little stunt you pulled... Why couldn't you just let yourself fall?" Harsh words, but silently signaled. Even here, there were eyes watching, and the secret hand gestures were almost as expressive as the spoken voice, although they seemed more like he was brushing himself off than communicating anything constructive.

The other climber decided to answer vocally instead, risking yet again their secrecy. "You know perfectly well why I didn't do that. If I had, You would have had to come here alone, and this place is dangerous enough for our kind. I'm not about to leave you alone with that Half-breed." He spat the word, almost as if he thought it more a curse, than a name.

"Oh come on. You know perfectly well that he's no danger to me. At least not anymore. And I'm not about to go killing my own brother. You could just as easily have fallen and saved him the trouble of pushing you off in another few minutes."

"Yeah. We'll see just who gets pushed, and who does the pushing."

"Why do you always go saying stuff like that? You only antagonize the man. I know you two aren't fond of each other, but couldn't you at least be civil to one another? He's my brother for cris-sakes!"

"So? He doesn't seem to care a whit about it, and if he doesn't, why should I? And I don't have to remind you, it's HALF-Brother. As far as we're concerned, the only one who seems to think of your two as brothers is you. And all that attitude is going to get you is a knife firmly implanted between your ribs."

"You speak too harshly of Shaikoten. He's not all bad... He just lost his way, and took to the streets. He never had a real strong father figure like I did, because Dad disowned him at birth. Sure, he might've been the firstborn, but they weren't married, he wasn't even sure he was his. That human woman must've been raped by a dozen different Saiyajinn that night. My father was just the only one still alive."

"You know. He's right Brother. You probably will end up with a knife in your back. Although I would never be the one holding the handle. Too messy that." The cold voice came from behind them, and even though they had known he was approaching for quite some time, the calm serenity of the voice surprised them, slicing like ice through the thin mountain air.

The two climbers turned around slowly, as if they hadn't a care in the world, to gaze at this one who intended on using his powers openly, as he hovered there in mid-air, just a few feet out. Almost they told him to get down, but knowing he would only ignore their request, they didn't even bother.

"So... Was this meeting just for old times sake, or was there actually a reason you two fools decided to call me here?" The similarity of the two was unmistakable. Even had they not just said so, any observers watching would have known instantly that the two were related. Cousins at least. "You know, I don't have time for your silly games Durine. Speak your business and be through with it."

The one called Durine stepped back a moment, his features a mixture of disgust and pity, only to set themselves a second later into the grim mask of certainty that he seemed to always wear in the presence of anyone except his friend. "You know I wouldn't go to the trouble of sending you that message if it wasn't important. That's why you came here. Anyways, Ramza here has uncovered some information that might be of interest to you."

Shaikoten lifted his eyebrow for a moment, in a vain attempt to conceal his true interest. Although he appeared bored, he knew that whatever news was dire enough for these two to contact him, must be important. "Oh really? And why should I believe you two? How do I know you haven't sent for me, to lure me to my death? However unlikely that may seem. You two never were my match."

That was the final straw for Ramza, and he stepped forward into the path between brothers. "That's enough! We come here to try and save your life and all you can do is float there and mock us for our efforts! If it wasn't for Durine's orders, you'd be dead already in a thousand different ways!" The unveiled rage was a flame in this cold place of ice and stone. 

"Ah! But the obedient pup stands up for his master. Down boy! Heel! Wouldn't want you to make a mess of the carpet now..." Shaikoten paused for a moment, then continued. "Awww... No takers? And I was so looking forward to killing you... How sad, I guess I'll have to wait for our next encounter on non-neutral grounds."

"That's enough you two... Shai. We just wanted to inform you, that our informants,"

"You mean spys?" 

"Our Informants..." He stressed the word in an effort to ignore the interruption. "Have managed to pick up a message aimed for a known Syndicate hideout. It seems that someone's looking for you. A very powerful someone. And if you're not careful, you're liable to get yourself kidnapped, tortured, killed or all three." The words flowed forth from Durines blue-flecked lips in a raging torrent of disgust, and unconcealed contempt for a life now wasted.

"Ha! You think that just because some Syndicate flunky decides to pay me a visit that I should be worried?" The words were bold, but they could both see the tiny gleam of fear in Shaikoten's eyes.

It was Ramza who continued. "It's not just some flunky we're talking about. As far as we know, it's Syndicate's top man. Goes by the name of Marrec. We're not sure who he is. But so far as we can tell, NO ONE outranks him. And everyone's afraid of him. He's the only one who gives orders, even though we don't' think he's the actual brains behind the organization."

"My, my, my... Quite the impressive piece of intel... How dearly would I love to get my hands on those magnificent sources of yours... And wring their necks, the scrawny little spineless weaklings. It's cowards like that who give evil fiends a bad name. They really drop the ball on all of us..." Shaikoten seemed to have completely forgotten the news in his oblivious ravings. Still, there seemed to be an element of stress in his voice that hadn't been there before. 

No one was paying attention though, least of all the two climbers, who having delivered their message had already begun repelling down the cliff face, in a long vertical descent to the bottom some two kilometres to the bottom.

  
  
  
  


"Descent procedures begun, please take your seats, and have a nice day." The cheery metallic voice came over the speakers only a few minutes after I had keyed in the sequence. Vorack was already strapped in to the auxiliary seat Dr. Briefs had installed in the case of passengers. It's a good thing too. If he hadn't, one of us wouldn't have had a seat, and that's not exactly the safest thing in the world.

I shook my head to clear it, and sat back down into the control chair, strapping myself securely into place. "You okay there Vorack?" Even if the concern was faked, at least I could give him the illusion of caring.

"Yes sir. Quite fine Mr. Hoshito." The young child's voice had grown on me like a fungus, over the last couple weeks. I don't know why, but I didn't let it bother me.

"You know, why you can't seem to just say Hoshito is beyond me. I've told you enough times now." Even the anger was faked. Just like I couldn't be happy for him, or concerned for him, I couldn't be angry at him either. But illusions were important...

Like always the little green kid didn't reply to that one, he just let his eyes fall to the ground, and grumble something under his breath. I didn't even bother to try and listen, even though I probably could have. It just didn't matter.

Finally though, a tiny shudder passed through the ship, and the computer signaled that we had touched down. With a great relief I released the buckles, and went over to help Vorack out too. Of course, by the time I got there, he was already out, so it didn't really matter much, but I felt that I should at least make the attempt.

"Well. We're here. Hopefully there will be friendly people here, and we'll be able to restock our ship and go in no time." Even false enthusiasm seemed hopeful at times, and as I opened the hatch, It almost seemed like there might just be a reason to hope.

When the hatch opened however, and I caught a glimpse of the crowd outside, my hopes started to dwindle. Then when I heard the shouted cries of "Saiyajinn go home!" And the hastily armed humans, what little remained of those hopes was smashed to pieces. I could see that they were about to get violent if I didn't lift off immediately, and as I turned my back to close the hatch, I heard something that made my blood run cold.

The laughter was evil. There really wasn't any other word for it. I could feel shivers running the length of my spine as those peals of laughter clung to me, made me feel dirty, unclean. My head turned, orienting on the sound, and saw a man hanging in the air. Like me, his features were mostly Saiyajinn, but with human ancestry. Although I had come by my Saiyajinn heritage through the Dragonballs, this was from family.

The most telling factor was the tail that wavered in the sunlight. But even without that, he still could see the Saiyajinn blood in the spiky hair, and the set of his jaw. A tiny spark of what might have been madness gleamed in his eyes, and the power that radiated from this man was unlike anything I had felt before.

On Earth, the only truly powerful beings that existed since I had gained the ability to sense energy, were all good. This was the first warrior I felt who's energy wasn't good, and it like the laughter was like some foul thing in the air, a faint whiff of decay that soured my expression at his presence.

And then I saw this man release that power I felt, and it was a horrible thing. In an instant the mob had disintegrated into chaos, with people running everywhere, what few were still capable of running. The energy that he had released was small, barely enough to kill a normal person, but I could tell that it had been carefully calculated, to have the maximum amount of terror among the survivors. 

It was intended to maim, to hurt people physically, and fill their minds with fear. I knew in that instant, that he had done this before, and many times. With a light shove, I maneuvered Vorack back inside the spaceship, and flew at the laughing maniac. I had never before known a hatred so pure, an instinctual need to deprive this man of his pleasure.

With a twinge of power I sent forth a barrier to protect the innocent humans who would have lynched me a moment before. And then I set my mind upon the destruction of this evil one. Before I did so though, I made sure to appeal to his good nature, if he had any.

"Why? Hunh? Why did you just do that?!" My words were bolstered by confidence in my new found abilities. 

"Because it's fun. It amuses me to destroy these insects who try and tell those stronger than they are what to do. Just like you. Which is of course why I'm going to kill you now for questioning me." Even as he spoke the words his hand had come up, and a dark glow was beginning to form around him.

I had no idea what kind of an attack he was planning, but steeled myself for combat, and took a fighting stance in mid-air. The shadowy blackness that now pulsed around his figure seemed to coalesce into a tiny ball in the palm of his hand. Then his laughter burst forth once more, and as it did he allowed the dark ball of swirling blackness to surge towards me.

I had never felt such an attack, the pure malevolence of it took my breath away. And yet, although it was intended to consume me, I held firm, and took the blast at nearly point-blank range. As the smoke cleared, and I emerged from the cloud unscathed, his laughter halted, caught in his throat. 

"How were you able to survive? No one could have survived that! Who are you!"

I smiled in response, a deep, secret smile of the powerful, and made my reply. "Just call me no one then. Because I just survived your pathetically weak attack, and now I'm going to take you down."

My blood boiled in my veins, my new Saiyajinn heritage was urging me on, forcing me to face this evil man. I looked forward to it actually. I had been too long idle, and here were people I could protect. I would do everything I could to stop him before this went any further.

I readied myself, and allowed the pure energy of my body to flow down, into my hand, concentrated it, and lifted my hand as he had done just moments ago. His face betrayed not even the hint of fear, and I made ready to unleash my fury.

Just at that moment though, two bright shining points of light shot up from the ground penetrating not only the shimmering curtain of protection I had placed there, but also the defenses of the man before me. As they struck him full-force, I could hear just barely, a tiny voice seem to whisper, "Shai..." and then the man who had stood before me rocketed off into the sky, forced upwards by the two simultaneous blows of the warriors who now had joined me.

Taken aback, I almost released my blast at them instead, but managed to control myself, and stop the energy before it began it's inevitable cascade. Seeing this one of the two warriors shied away, ready to defend himself, while the other merely stood there, confident, daring me to strike.

Now finally in full control, I said the first thing that came to mind. "Who are you? Who was that? And what the heck is happening on this planet? I come here to restock my spaceship, and all of a sudden I'm getting blasted at right left and centre. What's going on!?"

The two warriors looked at each other as though confused. There seemed to be a silent communication between them, then the confident one pointed at my spaceship. "That's a Saiyajinn capsule is it not? Heavily modified I see, but it still bears their markings."

"Yes... It was based on the Saiyajinn design. But it's not really Saiyajinn. Nor am I. Not really..." My cryptic remarks only served to confuse them further, but the smaller one, who seemed to be the leader of the two, was the only one to talk.

"I do now know who you are, or where you come from, but you are extremely powerful to have survived the attack of Shaikoten, and you seem to be good, for you were protecting those people who would have attacked you only a moment before. I think we can trust you. Although we must get to a safe place to discuss such things. Would you follow us elsewhere?"

The second, taller man seemed to be at odds with his partners decision, but would follow where the other might lead. Such loyalty... I wonder what it is that inspires him... I made up my mind.

"No. I won't follow you. There is someone that still needs my protection in the ship. If you would care to join me in there, I would be glad to fly it to where ever you choose. I think it would be a good idea to have a great, and lengthy discussion. There are many things I would know."

The larger man seemed about to scoff at that, and was ready to fly off right then and there, but something in the smaller man's demeanor stopped him. The other man merely nodded lightly after a moments hesitation, and accepted my offer for the both of them. "Agreed. But we should go now, before anyone gets suspicious."

"Agreed." And with those words, I led them down into my ship. "You know the coordinates of where you wanna go?" I said this to continue the conversation as I slowly re-opened the hatch that Vorack had wisely closed.

"Yes." Simply put, and brief. I liked that.

As we entered the ship, Vorack came out to greet me, but then pulled back, and hid behind the gravity device when he saw I was with company. "Don't worry Vorack, these are some new friends." I gestured to the smaller man to indicate the control panel, and walked over to the Namek child to coax him away from his imagined safety.

"Oh by the way. My name is Hoshito, and this little green kid is Vorack." I extended my hand to the larger of the two men as the smaller was setting the ship to fly. The big man seemed to take a shine to the Namek, and grasped my hand in a friendly, but threatening manner. 'I don't know who you are, and I don't trust you, so you had better be careful.' was the message he was sending, and I was reading him loud and clear.

"I'm Durine, and the big guy over there is Ramza. We're Saiyajinn too, but it's a little bit complicated." The smaller man setting co-ordinates replied without taking his eyes from the panel. I wasn't sure about these two, but I had a good feeling about them.

  
  
  
  


"So... That guy you two just blasted... Shaikoten? MIGHT be your half-brother, and is half-Saiyajinn too. You two were trying to stop him from hurting those guilty civilians because you're the leaders of a secret Saiyajinn underground movement, that is actually trying to help these people, rather than hurt them like all the rest of the Saiyajinn. And the humans here don't trust ANY Saiyajinn and think you're all bad, so if they had a chance they'd kill you all. Do I have that right?"

The two nodded slowly, and I could tell that they were telling me the truth, even though It was surely a hard story to swallow.

"And you were born a human, but somehow managed to wish to become a Saiyajinn through these... What did you call them? Dragonballs? And are currently wandering the universe in search of fun and adventure? And this little guy is a stowaway who hopped aboard when you were restocking on supplies?" The one called Durine replied, his voice a mixture of surprise and outright disbelief.

"Hey, it's no stranger than your story."

"That's true... Although if this Shaikoten guy is so evil, then why don't you two just kill him and get it over with? I mean I know he's your brother and all, but still..."

Ramza and Durine squirmed in their seats, as if discussing this subject made them uncomfortable. It was Ramza who answered though. "It's because of only one thing... We can't. He's... The Legendary Super-Saiyajinn."

If they had been expecting surprise, they weren't about to get it. "So? You mean to tell me you can't go Super-Saiyajinn?" Being human, and since all the Saiyajinn I knew could go Super-Saiyajinn, I had no Idea just how impressive that feat truly was.

They boggled at the concept that I wasn't impressed. Ramza was completely speechless, and Durine was only marginally better. "You... You... You mean... You can?!" It seemed as if I was spouting blasphemy to them, heresy that anyone other than this could transform so.

Knowing they wouldn't believe my words, I decided something more was in order, and so I stood up, and allowed the great power within me to Shine! I could feel my hair lengthening, and straightening, pulling back into great blonde spikes. I could see their eyes bulge in their sockets as my eyes turned green. And I could see their skin pale to a whitish sheen, as mine took on a golden glow.

"As far as I know... Any Saiyajinn can become a Super-Saiyajinn. Although it's far harder for some than others." After I spoke, I allowed the energy to be released back into my body, my hair to fall gently back, into it's former black glory, and my eyes to return to the pale blue that was their natural state.

"But... The Legend states that there may be only one Super-Saiyajinn in a thousand years! How could there be two at once!" The words spewed from their mouths like partially digested food. It was almost unthinkable, this tremendous truth that had been so certain in their lives, now nothing but a crumbling wreck.

"Like I said... Anyone can do it... It's not that hard. I could probably show you if you wanted... Although it might take a while. It took me like a year. But now that I know, I might be able to get you two to do it sooner. I mean, you have way more familiarity with your bodies than I do. So it probably shouldn't take nearly as long."

They were speechless, absolutely speechless, but merely nodded their heads in acceptance. "If such a thing is possible, then we shall have it..." There was a firm conviction in Durine's voice as he spoke, and Ramza was only too proud to join him, loyal to the end.

"Well I guess that means I have two more students..."

  
  
  
  


"Curses... If those two meddling fools hadn't have attacked I would have had him. I might have had to transform... But no one can defeat me..." Shaikoten was flying off, letting his mind go through the events of the past few days. First he gets the news that someone is after him, then this new guy shows up and manages to survive his blast, and then those two imbeciles dare to strike him. HIM! The only Super Saiyajinn in existence!

"Well they won't get the drop on me next time... If I wasn't distracted by the new guy, those two would never have been able to hit me like that." He continued his ranting, oblivious to the dark power flying towards him. It hovered above Shaikoten for a moment and then attacked, plowing the half-breed ten metres into the ground.

Then Marrec flew down to grass he reached into the hole, and brought up the unconscious form of Shaikoten. "Ha! All too easy... And my Master thought you would be a challenge. You were so caught up in your own defeat that you suffered another!" Marrec's voice pierced the wind with a light cackle of deranged amusement.

"Well now we'll see just what my Master wanted from you. It's too bad he wanted you alive... I could have had so much fun torturing the information from you... Perhaps I still might... If my master will allow me that pleasure..." A wicked grin split Marrec's face in two, as he lifted off into the nigth sky, bound for his ship, and then, for home...

  
  
  
  


The familiar tiny shudder was felt once more as the ship touched down in the secluded glade that hid the base of the Saiyajinn Resistance. Then I heard a weird humming as I felt myself descend. I took a glance out the port-holes and saw to my surprise that there was a large metal corridor outside, instead of the trees I had expected.

"Landing pad... Great for secret bases like ours. Ship settles down, and in seconds, it's far beneath the earth and no one's the wiser. We even have a holographic cover, to make sure no one can come across the place accidentally." Again it was Durine that spoke. Ramza had been all but quiet since learning of my abilities. Almost as if I had offended the guy some how.

"Impressive... So is my ship your captive now or something?" I let the words slip out of my mouth with a dry sarcastic humour that they obviously didn't catch. They had been just about to defend themselves, but then they saw my wry grin, and burst into spontaneous laughter. It feels good to laugh again...

We were still laughing slightly when I entered the airlock, and opened the outside hatch. As the door slid down, providing a nice few steps, the laughter died as the imposing figure before me scowled. I couldn't quite get this one, he was hidden mostly in a cloak, and although he didn't seem to be evil, I could tell that this was not a man to take lightly. As an enemy, this one would be very dangerous... Perhaps even more than I could handle.

When the stranger in the greyish cloak spoke, it was like thunder had been captured, and made to service only him. "You've failed you know that. Marrec now has Shaikoten, and your warning was useless. Why did you ignore my advice to catch him off guard, and kill him if you had the chance?"

It was Ramza who spoke this time, in Durine's defense it seemed. The big man hardly spoke a word, but when he did, it was calm, and self-assured. There was a quiet strength about this one, and his voice was a reflection of that. "We didn't have the chance. Besides, if we had, Shaikoten would have killed us, and then there would have been no one who could do your work for you old man. Besides. He's Durine's brother. It's not in either of us to kill him."

"And another thing... We did happen to find this guy. Hoshito. He can go Super Saiyajinn just like Shaikoten. And he's going to teach us how. Then we'll be able to take out anyone."

"Fools!" This cloaked figure's wrath was a palpable force. Even without the power that lay behind it, the anger alone was enough to make men cower. But there was something else to it... An element of fear, that tasted all the more bitter for his apparent helplessness. Man... Whatever could make THIS GUY feel helplessness and fear, has GOT to be something bad...

"Now that Marrec has Shaikoten in his grasp, there's no telling what might happen. We need to find out just who wanted Shaikoten, and why. It couldn't be just Marrec... There's got to be more to this. They need Shaikoten alive, otherwise they would have killed him. They needed something only he could provide. But what? Well at least we should have some time. They're going to need to make that half-breed talk, and he's going to be a tough nut to crack."

My ears pricked up at that, and I quivered in fear. The Prophecy! Could this have something to do with... But no... This was just a coincidence... He couldn't be talking about the same thing... No...

"What is going on? And what does Shaikoten have to do with any of it? And if they want something from Shaikoten why should we care if they kill him?" That was Ramza speaking again... Even he could feel the changes, and was striving to understand everything. It seemed that he was rapidly losing any control over the situation, and that was something he wouldn't allow to happen.

"It is with dark tidings that I meet this day. It might be that Marrec is after something far more insidious, and powerful than he can possibly comprehend. We must move carefully... But do not wait too long... When things start happening, they'll go quickly, so we must be ready for anything." With those words, the strange cloaked man turned about, his cloak billowing around him, and as I made to ask him his name, he was gone.

Durine turned to Ramza and me, obviously used to this strangers disappearing act. "I don't know who he thinks he is... Trying to order me around. I have never taken an order in my life, and I am not about to start now." There was a quiet burning hidden behind his eyes... All the more intense for it's secrecy. 

"Still. He's never been wrong yet... There's gotta be more to this than meets the eye. But until we know more, we can't act." Ramza's advice was good, as usual, but everyone here knew that Durine was the decision-maker.

"I think the best thing we can do right now is wait. And while we're waiting... Why don't we see if you two can achieve the greatest power of the Saiyajinn race. Hunh?" My words seemed to diffuse the situation, and the tension oozed back to where it had come from. 

All three of them looked to me, but it was Durine once more who answered for them. "Yes... Lets..."

  
  



	3. The Line between Friends and Foe

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


Part III

  
  


The Line Between Friend and Foe

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  


Disclaimer: Guess what!?!? I'm not the guy who invented Dragonball... WOW!!! What a Surprise! Now stop sending me all those big fat checks... hehehe.

  
  


Author's Note: If you've been paying attention at all, you will now know that this story is a an attempted cross-over between the DBZ Universe, and the DBZ World MUDiverse. So if stuff sounds wrong, that's why. This story is supposed to take place in the actual realm of Dragonball Z, seeing as this is the second in a trilogy. The first of which involved such characters as Krillin, 18, and Piccolo. This, the second story, so far, has only one character that was actually shown on the show... Morn, the New Namekian Elder. Pretty much all the major characters in this story are from the DBZ World MUD that I love so much. THIS is why your MUD characters seem so weird, and also is why you won't understand most of what's going on if you haven't played the MUD. 

  
  


If you haven't been paying attention, then I don't really care... So on with the story.

  
  
  
  


"So... What's my brother been up to this time? Eh Xev... Surely you should know by now..." Although her body was mechanical, she moved with a feline grace that belied her true power. All immortals were such... Having such incredible power, they chose not to show it most of the time, unless they needed to. All save one...

"I'm not sure Rei... I think..." The long dark cloak that covered Xev and hid his scared visage could not hide him from her penetrating gaze. It took most Immortals several thousand years to learn the full extent of their abilities. It took Rei several thousand minutes. Her Android nature allowed that, more than anything else. But the one thing Immortality couldn't improve upon was her beauty.

For most of her unnatural life, she had been hailed as the "Sex Goddess" of uncounted cultures throughout the ages. She didn't try to inspire men, it just happened to her. Men wanted her, Women wanted to BE her. She was the ultimate expression of femininity, for that was why she was built. Age had only improved her like a fine wine.

Even Xev, who had managed to abstain from such base matters for most of the many years since his rebirth as an Immortal, was unquestionably attracted to this woman. It had taken the rest of his Immortal years to stop himself from even trying to carry that desire any further than a vague mental notion.

The reason why he abstained was because Rei hadn't only spawned the many "Sex Goddess" religions... But also many of the "Amazon Goddess" or worse yet, the "Avenging Goddess" myths. Beautiful she was, but a beauty that was sharper than the sharpest sword, a weapon more potent than any other. It would cut not only the hand that wielded it, but the hand that never had a chance to.

"You think too much. You think my brother has uncovered the location of the Ultimate Power, and now seeks to gain possession of it. You are hoping to get my advice on the matter, and perhaps even enlist my aid in stopping him. I tell you now, that such notions are foolish." Her voice too was a weapon. High, and deceptively soft, with breezy undertones that hinted of something more, her voice could cut straight through whatever armor any male might have erected against such intrusions. After all... They were only men.

"Even had my brother the brains to discerns it's location, or the brawn to retrieve it, he does not have the strength of spirit to make the attempt. He fears too much his own destruction. He will not try. He cannot. He shall not. So why should I kill my only brethren in suspect of idle rumors?" 

"I can assure you madam, it is not idle speculation. I made certain to see the one mentioned in the Prophecy myself... Although he does not know that I know him. The light that shines within him is evidence enough. It cannot be extinguished. He is a dangerous man, an unknown element. Glad am I that I do not have him as an enemy."

"Bah! You give this one too much credit. He is special yes. But poses us no threat. He is just like the other flies. That he is more powerful than most is certain. But he remains but an insect. I will not jeopardize all I have for his sake, or any others. The threat is not real, and nothing will change my mind about this."

Frustrated, Xev nearly lashed out at the stubborn witch, but managed to contain himself. With a sly smile, he made one final attempt to coerce her aid in his endeavor. "Fine then. I know that you will not change your mind once it is set. I merely wished to inform you of the possibility. Should there be any new information on the subject I shall be at your disposal once again." 

With those words, The immortal bowed his head low, giving the Woman far more honour than she deserved. He was her equal, yet he prostrated himself before her as if he were nothing. It was a dubious honour, and joking at that. Yet she concealed her contempt for the man, and paid his homage no mind. This done, he made his way from her presence, walked backwards, his face still lowered to the ground.

Only when the doors closed upon her chambers, blocking his view of her, did he rise, the smile still playing lightly upon his lips. With this one act of supplication, he had forced her hand. She could not readily ignore such a blatant request, but she could refuse it. Once he had risen, his image shimmered in the air, dissipating like it was never there.

  
  
  
  


"That's it!" I was trying to encourage Durine as he neared the transformation. A wavering golden aura had begun, but flickering in and out of existence. We two were locked in a struggle, both trying to overpower the other. Even though he tried as hard as he might, his legs had begun to buckle beneath him, and he was quickly losing ground.

My words, though well meaning, only brought to his mind to the fact of how close he had gotten, and of course, knowing it, he tried to force it, and failed. With a final burst of energy I forced his knees to touch the corse sand that covered the shore of this underground lake, ending the match.

He knelt in the sand, careless of his pain, careless of his pride, only caring of his bone-deep exhaustion. "That's enough for today Durine. You nearly had it. You did well. Maybe tomorrow." There was a note of sorrow in my voice, softened by hopeful anticipation.

Durine however would have none of it. "No! If my half-breed brother can do it than I will to!" With a strength of will I had only rarely been witness to, the younger brother of Shaikoten rose slowly on unsteady legs to take a wearied fighting stance. Doesn't this guy know when to quit? No? Well good... He'll need that.

"Remember. Just let the power come to you. Don't try to force it. It's a Need, not a desire." I left Goku's words on the air, nodded once more, and attacked. Always before I had pushed him physically, till he had reached this point of near exhaustion. This time I would do more... Finally, he's ready... 

I rushed him, making him think he was to face the punishing physical blows I had been dolling out once more. Instead, as I rushed him I leapt into the air, which would have surprised him had I not used the trick before. It had been during one of our first matches, and it had caught him completely unaware. I thanked Krillin for teaching me his tactics.

However, this time, knowing the sneaky tactics I often employed, he was ready, knowing I would never go for a pure headlong rush. Instead, he bent sideways, contorting his torso into a compact and minimal target as he twisted backwards lashing out with his foot to catch me in the gut behind him.

Good... He's learning... Now it's time for the real fight to begin... I flew back, feigning injury, but having fully expected his attack, I had managed to take most of the force of his attack into my backwards flight. Catching myself in mid-air, and rebounding off the far wall, I rushed him again, this time however with a surprise.

Durine was too tired to move, having decided to take the second to rest his aching muscles instead of leading into an attack. Truth be told he wasn't the only one who was tired after this trying day, but having the powers of the Super-Saiyajinn at my command, I had been able to augment my natural abilities quite a bit.

As I shot at him arrow-straight, my lips twisted into a wrenching grin of determination, and I let Durine have it. Taking all the speed I had accumulated, I put even that force into the energy I now hurled at the man, stopping me in my tracks. Being too tired to dodge, Durine could only stand there and try to block the energy as it neared him.

I knew he couldn't possibly have enough time to put up a real defense, which was planned. If he had, the blast would have cascaded harmlessly over his barrier, and the fight would continue. Without the time for a proper defense though, he was limited to either blocking, or attacking. Not having enough energy for an attack, he had but one choice, and so he blocked.

His feet dug into the sandy soil, his arms crossed against his chest, and he bellowed his rage at his ineffectual defense. He knew it would not, could not be enough, and yet with a stern countenance he faced his potential destruction with firm determination. The blue waves struck his hastily erected defense, shattering it, and caught him full in the chest.

His shriek of pain erupted from his bruised and battered body and bounded off the walls of the chamber, echoing within this hidden sanctuary with increased fervor. Now his body was caught full in the blast, the excruciating pain only deepening his need. His eyes refused to close, and his screams reached a fever pitch.

He kept up his defense, trying only to survive this massive up-swelling of power that he could not even fathom. Then finally, something snapped inside him, the frustration, the rage, the incoherent demands of flesh upon the soul. There was a great flashing of golden light brighter than the sun, and the waves of energy that had surrounded Durine were as nothing in that moment, blinking out of existence as if they never were.

I ended my attack, exalting in my new friends transformation. He did it! By the Eternal Dragon the man did it! I couldn't quite believe it, but I felt an almost paternal pride at his success. Then I gave a jubilant cry of joyous relief and flew fast as lightening to hail the universe's newest Super-Saiyajinn.

As I neared him I could tell that Durine was having trouble controlling the energy, the look on his face was clear enough to support that. "Cool it Durine. Careful. You've done it... Now let the power go. Don't hold onto it. If you do there's a danger it could consume you." The words themselves were less important than the careful, calming tones I used. Slowly I could see Durine resurfacing from his trance-like state, and return to reality.

The golden radiance that lit up the cavern winked out, and the place seemed dark and oppressive by comparison. I lay my arm around Durine's shoulders, both in congratulations, and in support. "Come on buddy. You've had a long day, and gone far. Lets go get some rest and a bite to eat."

"I feel like I could spend a week in a rejuvenation chamber and still not be whole." It was the first real words Durine had said in some time, and they took far too much from him to even utter that. I lay one finger upon his lips to tell him without words to remain silent. Words were not necessary, for no words could describe it. The transformation was a great and private thing for every Saiyajinn, and would remain so until the end of time.

As we left the training chamber we met Vorack and Ramza who were on their way in to congratulate Durine. I held up my hand in lieu of praise. "Don't, he has suffered much. Right now, he needs food and rest, and plenty of both."

Vorack took Durine in hand, and led him out of the chamber as Ramza turned to me. I was about to say something, when I found myself staring at ceiling, the faint imprint of Ramza's knuckles on my face. I blinked once and glanced at the larger Saiyajinn, his face was a mixture of grief, and surprise, and rage. "You could have killed him!"

It took a moment for the words to register, and when they did I could feel the flush of shame in my cheeks. Ramza would have none of it. "If he hadn't have transformed, he would have died! Can't you understand that! Have you no compassion? No heart?" I could feel his rage as a furnace heat, blasting in the face of Durine's success. After the elated rush of that success, this blazing anger washed over me, chilling me to the bone.

I took a moment to get my feet beneath me, rising slowly, but deliberately from my previous position upon the stone. "Two things. The first of which is that without real danger to his life, the transformation would never have occurred. It was necessary. The second is that if ever you strike me a second time, you will not live to see the third."

The words were cold, colder than the stone beneath my feet, colder than the chilly waters that lapped even now at the shore. The words iced through the Ramza's heated wrath and froze the blood in his veins. His face sunk in disappointment and at once resumed it's stone-like temper.

"Believe me... Had I noticed even the slightest wavering of his power, I would have ended the attack then and there. Death was possible yes, but not highly likely. Whether or not the threat was idle or real, he needed to think it was real. Believe it with all of his being, and do something about it. If even the smallest part of him wavered in his determination he likely would have perished, if I was unable to end it in time."

"But those are merely possibilities. The truth of the matter is that it worked, he's alive, and has achieved what so very few of us have achieved, and you should be glad for that. And glad that he has such a great friend as you, to attack someone who you haven't a chance of defeating, merely on the threat of his demise. You are a true friend Ramza. Be glad of that."

Unable to make any real sense of what had just happened, Ramza turned from me and stormed away, into the myriad of tunnels where I could not follow, for in this labyrinth, I would be forever lost. Instead of even trying, I followed the path through which we had come here, the same way that Vorack had departed half-carrying an exhausted Durine.

  
  
  
  


The horizon was a mixture of orange, red, and purple hues, all somehow that exotic form of neon pastel that signifies the setting sun. The clouds that had settled there to take part in the spectacle were light and fluffy, saturated with colours, but there was a thin line of them against the northern horizon that had begun to edge ever-closer.

These darker clouds had begun to mass along the western ridge of the mountain range, and were now beginning their long southerly journey against the side of the range, depositing vast quantities of rain and snow all along their path. This precipitation was regularly whipped up by high winds into a torrent of storms that would make life here all but impossible.

But for the moment at least the sky was mostly clear, and bright, but darkening with the passing of day into night. The calm conditions, and perfect view of the spectacular sunset were a nice bonus, but they were not what this visitor had come here for. This was his place of quiet contemplation, where the troubles of this world could slip away, and he could return to his duties unperturbed.

On all other days but this, he could have immersed himself in the scenery and arisen fresh to the night's normal activities. On this one occasion though, he could not be calmed, no matter how colourful the sunset, or clear the sky, or light and crisp the air. His worries only redoubled themselves as his eyes kept turning from the passing sun, to the gathering darkness at the very edge of his keen vision.

There was only a tiny sliver of gold atop the far-off horizon when he felt rather than saw the presence of another come upon him. He did not move, merely sat there staring off into the distance, as the other person quietly sat beside him. The silence between them was unforced, neither needing nor wanting words at the moment.

The final glimpse of light disappeared, and the last dying rays of the great golden orb passed over them and into oblivion. The sunset seemed instantly less than it had been before, less beautiful, less special, almost as if in it's disappearance the sun had taken some great quality of beauty with it too. Still, it was not an unpleasant sight, and still very well suited to solitude, so the two remained.

In time though, as the sky faded from peacock, to navy, from navy to indigo, and from indigo to blackest night, the cool crisp mountain air turned slowly frigid. Without the warm sun to pour it's heat into them directly, the air could not stay pleasantly cool for long. As the air around them chilled, the winds began to pick up in intensity, and still they sat in comfortable silence.

Then the winds began to blow in earnest, the dark clouds of only a few hours ago having crept their way inexorably southward until they were nearly on top of them, blotting out the tiny specks of light in their impenetrable gloom. Even then, the two beings retained their silence, coveting it with avaricious glee.

It was only when the heavens opened up and poured forth their anger upon the world that the silence was broken. Even then the sentence was simple, to the point, and would brook no argument. "Come on kid. Get back inside before you catch your death of cold." The much smaller figure's response was a stony silence that would not be broken.

It was not until the icy winds blew the falling rain and sleet and snow up the mountain it picked up tiny pebbles and ice, hurling them with deadly force into the cliff-side that the other spoke. "Not before you old-timer."

With a grumbling sorrow as deep as the mountains roots, the larger of the two stood up, and grasped the small one in his large hands, carrying him bodily back into the shelter of the cave, and out of the infernal conditions. Only when they were safely inside and the doors barred against the elements, did he set the boy down, set his hands upon his hips, and do his best to look authoritative.

"So just why were you out there in the first place?" The soft voice was surprisingly deep for one so small.

The large man snorted, not quite acknowledging the question. "Why were YOU out there? Hunh?" The large man's gruff exterior belied the hidden frailty within.

The green boy just looked up at the man and smiled. "I asked you first Ramza."

Almost he made the childish "I asked you second," reply, but held his tongue. The young Namek's smile had begun to melt that external ice he held so dear, and so he smiled back. "Well I was TRYING to watch the sunset... Until someone interrupted me that is."

Vorack's eyes narrowed for a moment in intense concentration, as he made sense of the large man's words. Then his eyes regained the playful glint they usually had, and with a smile, it lit up his face with a glow of sincerity. "Same here. It certainly was a beautiful sunset wouldn't you agree?"

Ramza was stunned for a brief second, then let his guard down completely and gave himself over to the budding friendship he felt for the youngster. This is a boy I could grow to like... "It sure was..." Then, walking slowly, and with purpose now, his hand resting lightly on the boys shoulder, he turned to face the tunnel, and the rest of his life.

  
  
  
  


Marrec smiled a dark secret smile of hatred that had been quietly nursed over many decades. Occasionally he let his eyes drift over to the quiescent form of the Half-Breed Shaikoten he had recently acquired for his master. His master would be pleased with him for retrieving the man so quickly. 

Marrec glanced down at the controls of the ship, quickly calculating the time until the ship would reach it's destination. Only two more days and he could present his gift to his master. He could wait two days. He hoped his master would reward him for this deed. It had been so very long since he had received a boon from his master, he had begun to wonder if it would ever happen.

Still. He was patient... He could wait. Waiting was the one thing he had learned to do with quiet excellence over the many years he had faithfully served his master. The last time the reward had been so very much worth the wait, that he could not have believed it. Not only had the new ability increased his power ten-fold, it had returned to him the power of youth, his old shriveled form having almost been worthless.

Yes... Very much worth the wait had it been... Still. There was so very much more power he could attain if he was only given the opportunity. So many things he craved, that his master might provide... Even though his power could match almost any in the universe, save the immortals themselves, he still could savor the wait for more.

Yes. A very great boon would likely be his reward, but he could wait. Even if his master deemed this deed worthy of any but the smallest of gifts, he might well have to wait many years for the newest of powers to manifest itself. Yet he knew in the tiny, blackened husk of a thing that was his heart, that any wait, no matter how long, would be so very worth it.

Having concluded the thought, he forced it from his mind, not wanting to cloud his thoughts with selfish wishes for power that his master might deem unfit for his servitors. No, his mind must be clear, a deadly crystal clarity that could pierce the very heart of his enemies. To further purge his mind of the unworthy thoughts, he retired to the sanctity of his chamber.

It was a dark place, devoid of light, a place where the only sounds were of his own breathing, and his unsteady heart beating within his breast. He could hear that pattering thud-thump loud in his ears, and sought to calm it's rhythmic pumping to a more normal level. Closing his eyes to shut out the distraction of blank nothingness, and concentrating his energies upon his malformed body, he began the process to rid himself of the pestering thoughts.

It was some time later that his eyes fluttered open in surprise. He had felt something, a faint twinge of power that while shadowed from the light, was completely foreign to him. He knew not from whence this power came, but made a guess, and quickly gained his feet. With his legs beneath him, pins and needles shooting up the length of them, he touched the wall where the opening pad lay, and the doors slid aside revealing the interior of his ship.

He rushed to the side of the stasis chamber, uncertain, making sure that everything was in order. He checked the measure of the prisoner's vital signs, and saw a tiny errant blip of activity. Alarmed that anyone could have even the faintest of signs of life within the chamber, he increased the machine's activity, to halt the Half-Breed's motions before he could wake to true consciousness.

He watched the man's vitals drop back down to even lower levels, his heart slowed to a crawl, his breathing shallow and intermittent. He was still alive, at least on the very borders of life, and would likely survive till the end of the trip, but Marrec could not risk the man's awakening at this critical junction.

He found that after that event, his mind was a mess with a new influx of doubts and fears. Not knowing what else to do, he returned to the chambers, to meditate. It would take many hours to return his mind to it's calm certainty. And even then... A tiny sliver of doubt would remain... 

  
  
  
  


"Do you want this? Or do you just want to try your luck at me? Because if you really want this, there's no half-way. You either do it, or fail." I tried to sound as brutal as possible, if I didn't, he'd never believe me.

"Whatever. Lets just get this over with." Ramza was a man of few words. Those few words he did speak though, were often extremely well-thought-out before the exited his mouth. It gave the illusion that he was smarter than he actually was, but then again, he was extremely intelligent to begin with.

Even so, Durine was smarter by far. Where Ramza was thorough, and thought everything through to it's every possible end, Durine would instinctively come up with the right answer and in a fraction of the time. It was almost psychic how Durine knew exactly what people would do, before they did it. It was the talent that made him deadly in a fight.

Ramza however relied mostly on pure, brute strength. He was one of the most powerful beings I had ever encountered, who had yet to even reach the peak of his power. I knew that if he could tap into the hidden powers of his soul, and release the Super-Saiyajinn within, he would be a most formidable ally.

However, it was that simple strength of arm that was actually Ramza's greatest weakness. He relied upon it to too great an extent. When he would encounter someone more powerful than himself, he would be in direst trouble. He was one of those guys who couldn't just have power, he had to prove to everyone that he had it, and had the will to use it too. Thankfully he had managed to curb those tendencies to a fine point, allowing him to control his power, rather than the other way around.

I had come to these conclusions about Ramza within about half a second of meeting him, and I had yet to see anything to disprove them. Still, I hadn't fought the man yet, so I kept my mind open, just incase he had a few surprises to pull. Undoubtedly there would be several new techniques I could learn, but I would have an equal number to teach. It would be an interesting battle.

We were in the great cavern once more, the lights of the lanterns that had been placed around the place only barely able to penetrate the gloom of distance. The lanterns were so far away from us, I could only barely see them as tiny points of dim light, and many were all but invisible, lost in the shadows.

The steady drip-drip of water pooling into the vast underground lake that supplied the base with water unnerved me. It was a sound that had always gotten to me, but with so many drops plummeting into the lake from the innumerable multitudes of stalactites that dotted the ceiling high above, the sound faded into each other, the echoes of them almost like a light pattering of rain.

All this I took in with a single glance at my surroundings, familiarizing myself with every nook and cranny. That done, I faced off against my erstwhile opponent, and gave him the slightest of nods that signaled the fights beginning.

Taking the initiative, Ramza started off, closing the distance between us in one vast leaping jump. Leading with his left fist, the punch was sloppy, and slow, but with great strength behind it. I waited as long as I could to see just what he was up to before I moved to block, perhaps longer than I should have.

I took the blow against my forearm, which instantly begun to numb from the sensation of so powerful a blow. I was noticeably impressed with his power, but not his technique. I had expected more from Durine's Right-Hand-Man, his Bodyguard, his closest confidante. I countered with a punch of my own, but stayed mostly on the defensive, keeping him at arms-length, where his greater strength would make little difference.

I forced him very quickly to change tactics. Actually, it was more like forcing him to actually use tactics in the first place. He actually had to think of each move as it was being executed. It seemed that this was a style he was unfamiliar with, almost as if he had never faced an opponent who's power so greatly outmatched his own.

We traded blows for a few minutes, testing each other's limits, strengths, weaknesses, and tactics. It wasn't long before it was clear I had the advantage, one I readily pressed home with a few choice moves. A good knee to the gut, followed by a swift right-hand hook to the jaw sent him flying into the far wall.

It seemed as if that might be the end of the spar right then and there, but Ramza managed to pick himself up out of the rubble, and dust himself off as if he hadn't even been trying. It was only then that I got an inkling as to Ramza's true abilities. Even then though, I was still hesitant, and a little cocky, confident in my superiority.

He came at me again, this time far faster than before, but with the same sloppily executed left punch. Now expecting the thoughtless move, I blocked directly, which was precisely what he had been waiting for. Ramza's fist opened, and his fingers deftly grabbed hold of my defensively raised wrist. Simultaneously, he brought his right leg up and over, using my arm as a pivot point, and pulling me into the blow.

His foot met my side with crushing force, and in the sudden silence that was that moment, I could hear the faint crunching snap of my ribs cracking. The pain was exquisite, stabbing red-hot needles into my chest, my lungs on fire with every in-taken breath. It was a full second before I realized just how much I had underestimated my opponent.

Not one to pass up an opportunity, Ramza pressed the attack, hurling his right fist several times into my exposed and tender rib-cage. With a supreme effort of will, I managed to twist my hand around, grabbing Ramza's wrist as well, then caught the fist currently pummeling me with my other.

That done, I used his own technique against him, and pulled him into a head-butt of massive proportions. First I brought my forehead directly into his, then on the second blow, I angled it to strike the bridge of his nose, smashing it to pieces. Instantly I felt his hold on my arm slacken, and used the half-second to swing my knee into his jaw.

That done, I let his arms go, twirled about, and slammed my heel into his chest, watching as he flew back into the cave wall once more, the pile of rubble created far larger than the last. I fell aching to the ground, my breath catching in my throat. While the larger man was busy extricating himself from the rock, I hurriedly summoned a minuscule portion of energy to enclose my chest, protecting it from further injury.

That done, I then concentrated on the pain my breathing caused, and managed to set it outside of physical sensations. Now I could hardly feel a thing from my ribs, but that could be dangerous, because I wouldn't know if I sustained truly severe damage. Nevertheless, I was confident I had the situation under control, and made to spar Ramza once more as the rocks flew away from him in an explosion of freedom.

"Well. It seems I underestimated you somewhat. I won't make the same mistake twice." My words might have sounded like a hollow threat after the thrashing I had just received, but everyone watching knew that they were not. I readied myself for the new onslaught of blows, expecting, and receiving, a full-out assault.

Ramza's power seemed to be increasing with every attack, each blow harder and more accurate than the last. A kick that only a minute ago would have been easy for me to block now seemed to come from nowhere. My lungs weren't helping much either, even with the pain suppressed below the threshold of feeling, I could tell by the sound alone that I was laboring against a significant amount of stress.

Even with Ramza's continued improvement, I kept up with him blow for blow, exuding an air of effortless competence that only enraged the larger Saiyajinn more. Each parry was so finely executed that it left no opening for a sneak attack, while setting myself up for the perfect parry. I was using the borrowed skill of eight different people augmenting and complimenting my own, using their combined knowledge to predict with unerring accuracy just what my opponents next move would be.

It was now a matter of endurance. Ramza could not long last as he drew upon greater reserves of the power he had stored up over years in this one conflict. But then again, I couldn't maintain flawless form for long either. Eventually I would make a mistake, just as inevitably Ramza would reach a point where his power could go no further. The question was, who would fall first?

Almost I called upon my Super-Saiyajinn power, but reserved that for the moment at which I might truly need it. In this battle, such a decision would be counted almost as cheating, for that was an attack my opponent could not possibly counter, or hope to match in any way. And so I stayed my hand, waiting for the moment when one of us would fail, hoping only that it would not be me.

I could see the beads of sweat pouring down Ramza's face, the salty drops stinging his eyes, seeping into the many small cuts and abrasions with a fierce burning pain. His face was but a mirror of his own, two flip sides of the same coin. His side was filled with power, and fueled by rage. Mine with a calm certitude, and quiet concentration.

Then it happened. Something inside Ramza snapped, having bent too far, it broke under the strain, and he could no longer contain his long-hidden hatred of anyone who dared oppose him. His power skyrocketed, reaching a tall-standing peak, the ultimate summit of his utmost energies. With that release, I dared not hold back, and prepared myself for the final test. 

With a keening cry of purest wrath, a white light flared around him, and with his hands aimed directly at my chest, he let fly a powerful wave of bluish light. I met his blast with indifference, letting his attack slide off my barrier harmlessly. However, the strain of keeping my defense up was beginning to wear me out, and I soon realized that he would likely not give up until one of us was dead.

My hands were senseless already, the most of my arms feeling like lead weights as they braced my body against the energies that assailed me. I began to weary, my energy flagging, my body in the very beginning stages of giving up. No! The silent cry of denial flowed outwards, and with it came the familiar golden energies that hailed the transformation into the Super-Saiyajinn.

Now with energy to spare, my battered and bruised body leapt to the attack with a wave of my own. Pure, silent white energy, with only the faintest hint of purple surged from my right palm, my left hand gripping the first to support the full extent of my power. I began only small, only barely keeping up to Ramza's attack, but slowly, inexorably, his beam receded, inching it's way closer and closer to his own pressured body.

Surprisingly the larger opponent redoubled his efforts, pouring even more of his energy into the blast, perhaps even his very life-force was being drained. Either way, he somehow managed to force my beam back for a moment before I matched his increase, and upped the bet. I could see that this final attack was beginning to drain Ramza of everything, leaving nothing for himself.

How can he keep this up? It's amazing... I can only imagine the stress this is putting on his body... I just hope he doesn't push himself too far beyond his limits. As I kept the energies focused on each other, their opposing forces cancelling each other out, I pushed forward, walking step by step closer to Ramza.

With the added force of my approach, his attack could no longer hold out, his body began to fail, and his energy waned with increasing regularity. It happened almost at once, but his resolve had begun to lag behind, and to make certain I didn't kill him, I lessened the intensity of my blast, keeping just enough power in it to still force the remnants of Ramza's attack back at him.

Finally, we were arm's length away, and I could see the tiny broken speck of defeat in Ramza's eyes. Defeat is useless... I smiled at Ramza, laughing at him, sparking that fervent denial of failure, that ceaseless unending need to survive, to succeed, no matter the consequences, no matter the odds. Go... Come on... Do it!

Finally, I saw the flashing phase of gold, the straightening hair, the emerald green eyes, and at last, the final exultant cry of need, and the great explosion of pure unanswerable power that signified the transformation. With that sudden surge of power, his blast overpowered me, and the beam caught me full in the chest, hurling me backwards into the mountainside.

At least, it would have. Fortunately, I managed to control even this blast, but only barely. To do it I reached deeper, increasing my power to it's utmost, and merely cancelling the remaining energy. It had taken everything I had, but finally it was done. My feet touched the ground at the same moment as Ramza's knees. He fell face-first into the dirty stone floor, nothing left.

I let my hair fall back into it's natural state, having seen Ramza's do likewise a moment ago. As before, my two companions ran into the chamber, both ecstatic and frightened. We all three centered on Ramza, walking over to him slowly, as he lay upon the cold stone. When we arrived, he was only barely alive, hanging on by a thread. The transformation had taken the last remnants of his reserves, and had pushed him beyond the physical limitations of his body.

Too far... I pushed him too far... And I'm to blame. Too late I remembered the small bag of sensu beans that lay back in my quarters far down the hallway. If I had it here now, I might be able to save him, but it was too far away, and too little, too late.

"I did it... I didn't think I could, but I did it. Aren't you proud of me Durine?" His words were cut short by the rapidly weakening wheeze of his breath. His skin had turned a pale shade of grey, and his red foam-flecked lips moved slowly, without purpose. He drew in one more shuddering breath, smiled, and prepared for death.

It was only at that exact moment, that I saw the silvery glow of Vorack's hands as they lay upon Ramza's chest. I was dumbfounded. What is he doing? I had my answer soon enough as I bore witness to the transformation Ramza underwent. The brownish blotches on his skin that were once dark contusions, now had begun to recede into unnoticeable healthy pink skin.

Amazingly the cuts stopped bleeding, the bruises faded, and Ramza's next breath did not have that great wracking quality to it that the other, the breath that very well might have been his last. Somehow, the Namek was restoring the body of this fallen warrior, healing him with this pale silver light that emanated from his extended hands. Wherever those hands passed his touch removed any sign of pain or damage, and when they left Ramza was whole, and hale.

"How did you do that?" Durine spoke the words we all three were thinking. 

"I don't know. It just happens when it is needed." Vorack's answer mystified us all, but we were not about to look too closely into this gift we had been given. 

Ramza was too weary to do anything other than smile, and fade into the black of unconsciousness. Together, me and Durine lifted him up and carried him, the Namek child following closely behind, to the recovery room. Vorack's healing had restored his body, but only time could restore his soul.


	4. The Beginning of The End

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


Part IV

  
  


The Beginning of The End

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  


Disclaimer: Okay, If I've said it once I've said it twice, I don't own Dragonball. Original, Z, or GT. Nor do I own the Dragonball Z World MUD that half of the characters in this story come by. Only Thing in this story I own, other than the story-line, is Hoshito. So even if you did sue me, you wouldn't get anything.

  
  


Author's Note: Here we go again... I'm going to explain this one last time... This isn't the original DBZ Universe. Nor is it the DBZ World MUD Universe. THAT is why your characters probably won't be nearly as powerful as they supposedly are in the MUD. This is also why you'll see a lot of characters that weren't in the series, and are really powerful. So in other words... if you think your character isn't as powerful as they should be, or if you think the characters are just WAY more powerful than in the original series... You're BOTH right... It's artistic licence... It's the only way I could mesh the two Universes together, so shush. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the story. 

Oh yeah... Thanks for all the reviews... Really appreciate it. I hope I'll get more when the story is finished, and open to all readers. Now onto the Story...

  
  
  
  


"Finally! Marrec has returned! And with Shaikoten in tow too... Much sooner than I had expected. The Ultimate Power shall be within my grasp in moments!" Lucavex's rasping voice uttered from torpid lips, his nostrils inured of the foul stench of his breath. His excitement lifted him up so that the dull decaying features of his corpse-like visage appeared as something approaching life.

Lucavex waited for what seemed like a moment, though in reality it was several hours when Marrec's physical presence was manifest within the walls of his tower. For once, The Immortal appeared before his servant directly, without pause. Having waited so many thousands of years, his patience was nearing an end.

Ignoring Marrec, his faithful servant, for the moment, Lucavex pushed the mutated thing away, diving with single-minded determination towards the capsule the being had carried here. The chamber that carried within it, the only piece of the puzzle that had yet to be fit into it's place.

Thrusting his hand deep into the chamber, shattering the Plasti-Glass and splattering the fluid inside in a million directions as it came gushing out the new opening, his long bony fingers stretched around the Half-Breed's naked skull. With the same force with which his hand had been shoved through the Plasti-Glass window, The Immortal plunged into Shaikoten's mind.

With consummate ease, he pierced the frail covering that tried to protect Shaikoten's memories from him, pealing back the innumerable layers of defenses, and denials that had been erected over the years, to hide just this knowledge from one such as he. Deeper, and deeper he flew, throughout years of torment and bitter resignation, till he came at last to the final wall.

A wicked smile of final victory twisted the remnants of his lips upwards, and with a great effort, he assailed this final barrier to his ultimate victory. And was repelled. How could a simple mortal hide anything from me! Furious, he tried again, focusing his great powers to their utmost until they began a single, driving thought, an unstoppable force that would not, could not be denied.

And was repelled once more. This defense was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. This mental barrier was so strong, that it could deny even a God access... How was this possible? Almost Lucavex tried a third time, but held himself in check. If brute force would not work, perhaps there was another way...

  
  
  
  


With a look of absolute horror on his face, Marrec watched helplessly as his Master ruthlessly broke the Plasti-Glass window on the stasis chamber, and grabbed his captive's head in a cadaverous palm. He couldn't tear his eyes from the body of the Half-Breed as it shuddered convulsively, the spasms seeming to ripping him asunder.

Fixed in place, the shriveled thing that might have been his heart shirked away from the sight of such torturous pain. Those elongated digits enveloping the man's head, smothering the life from those blank white eyes, had become something to fear, something to dread.

In time, Marrec heard the wordless voice of his master cry out in consternation and ire, the meaning of that silent thunderous sound that echoes within his hollow mind filtered through the searing pain it caused. His Master was denied! How could this be?

The shaking ceased, and the limbs lay slack upon the newly thin frame of Shaikoten. All of his captives energies had been taken in the exchange, it had taken as much to refuse his Master, that much and more. Then Marrec saw something he had never before borne witness to, and hoped he would never see again, though the memory of it would stay with him till the end of his days, the scene revisited in daydream, and nightmare.

He saw Lucavex smile.

  
  
  
  


Little green fingers pressed against the Plasti-Glass, leaving oily marks against the thin barrier that separated the huge warrior from the outside world. Ramza was finally beginning to recover while locked within the healing chamber. It had been several hours, and the Saiyajinn's massive body had been allowed so small a measure of rest before it was time to wake him.

Rapping his knuckles lightly on the transparent shield, the fluid carrying the sound of it to Ramza's ears, rousing him from his slumber. "Wakey, wakey!" The smooths notes were almost inaudible to him, but being adept at lip-reading, he understood. The water slowly drained from the chamber, and the pleasant buoyant sensation was eventually gone, and the sensation of weight returned.

He reached up, undid the straps, and removed the breathing mask that covered his nose and mouth. The door to the chamber opened with an audible hiss of pressurized air rushing out of the chamber. His ears popped with the sudden decompression, and he sniffed experimentally, tasting the faint medicinal quality to the air.

Ducking his head, he extricated himself from the healing unit, stretching his aching muscles, and limbering up, as if he was ready for another bought already. Perfectly calm he was, as if he hadn't a care in the world, as if he had not been on deaths door only a few scant hours ago.

"Come on. Lets go see Durine and Hoshito. I'm sure they'll want to know you're awake." Vorack reached up with his right hand, just standing there, smiling lightly, as Ramza finally demurred, grasping the little green fingers, with his own great brown ones, and allowed the Namek to lead him off down the hall.

As they walked down the darkened hallway, the deep comforting silence that had begun between them upon that mountainside, continued. There seemed no need for words, for everything that needed to be said was over. Words were superfluous, needless, a tool that had been put aside for it's use was ended.

"You know, silence is all very well and good, but sometimes something need to be said." The voice came from behind them, accompanied by the loud rustle of cloth against cloth, cloth against skin, and cloth over stone. The two compatriots turned rapidly, to find themselves the butt end of the cloaked man's joke.

"You again... What news do you seek to send us this time? Now it's my brother in need of saving? Bah! Away with you and your secretive ways." Ramza was harsh, abrasive, and uncaring. He had worked hard to give people the impression that he thought little of them, and had succeeded for the most part.

The figure's face, shrouded in the protective shadows of his cloak emerged from the shade, and into the dim light of the hallways, his face twisted into a wry grin of barely suppressed humour. "No... Not your brothers... For you have none. Actually the danger is to your greatest friend and ally. There will come a choice you must make. Either way, someone will die."

Vorack allowed a tiny squeak of pain to be forced from his lips as the pressure increased upon his fingers, caught in Ramza's vice-like grip. The sound alerted Ramza to what he was doing, and he released his comrade's hand at once. "Are you okay?" Ramza knelt down upon the stones, concerned for his friends pain.

Already there had begun a swelling as one finger hung loosely perched at an odd angle. Without further comment, Vorack re-aligned his finger, and concentrated for a moment, watching the green puffiness recede, his hand restored. Hurriedly he reached up with his newly healed hand, to wipe the wetness from his cheek.

Then a cry of utter, incomprehensible torment slammed into them. They flew backwards down the hallway, away from the cloaked figure as he writhed in agony. It lasted only a moment, but it seemed as if the universe might be torn to pieces in that fraction of time. When it was over, the pale cloaked man lay on the floor, still shuddering slightly.

The two rushed over to the man, trying to find out what was wrong. Seeing no obvious injuries, they brought him back the way they had come, to the infirmary. They placed him into the chamber only recently vacated by Ramza himself, and begun the chambers cycle of healing, hoping, but not knowing, if that would be enough.

  
  
  
  


Frustrated after his meeting with Rei, Xev left her palace, transporting himself to his own, where he might find some clue as to what Lucavex was up to now. Where the other Immortals favored stone, or steel, he preferred cloth, and so the ever-changing palace of Xev, a riot of colours, was crafted from the myriad fabrics of the Universe. From the softest silks, to the coarsest burlap. Linen, denim, corduroy, velvet, canvas, and wool. Every fabric known to man was put on exhibit.

Through unique designs, and incredible technique, the entire castle was crafted from only cloth, though the pillars seemed stone, they were not. Hanging suspended in mid-air, and in constant chaotic movement, the multitudes of fibers formed a seemingly random pattern that only an Immortal mind might come to understand.

In the centre of this vast tapestry, through the warp and weft of it, lay the only craft not of the textile trade. A shining crystalline orb lay within, clear as air, and pure as water, the orb merely sat there, immotile, unassuming, merely waiting. As Xev approached it, he lay his palms lightly upon it, the cool ball warming at his touch.

Leaving no oily traces of their passing, his fingers played lightly upon it's surface, eliciting a reaction that was as close to a climax as the Immortal would allow himself. It would be quite some time before his eyes left the inner, unseen depths of that great creation, but when they did they were filled with an element of desolation, and fear.

How was this possible? No future? Nothing? Was the Universe to end so soon? Xev stood there unbelieving for a moment. He knew only that there was a danger to someone, and only one person could change their fate. He needed to warn them...

With a flick of his wrist, his cloak began to billow around him, transporting him to the only person who might be able to give the Universe a chance. He found himself next in the confines of a dark hallway, the two beings within it turning around only as he spoke.

It was only after a brief exchange of words that it came. The blinding pain ripping through his brain. Someone was trying to gain access to Shaikoten's knowledge! Without being prepared for it, the pain sent him reeling, spiraling down into the blank darkness of oblivion.

  
  
  
  


Lucavex again probed the mind of the unconscious Shaikoten. This time however, it was with silent grace, not solid power. Slowly, he inched his way back, into the deepest recesses of the quiescent mind. It took considerably more time, but when he finally came to the barrier, he had precious time to analyze it, define it, and name it.

Family! The single soundless word lay still upon the air. Marrec, waiting once more nearby was shocked to the core by his Master's telepathic message.

The orders were given even before the echoes of the word left his mind, the plan already full-fledged. Marrec took pride in the fact that his Master had entrusted this task to him. In as little time as it took for an eye to blink, the servant felt the viscous touch of his masters mind once more.

Anguished cries of agony were borne unsaid from Marrec's throat at the insidious gift that was given to him for this errand. The gift was given, and received, in the space between heartbeats, but the memory of that pain would linger for a lifetime. Had Marrec the breath he would have screamed, but air was something of a luxury in his masters presence.

Instead, Marrec drew upon this newest of gifts he had received, and activated it. As the mutated thing slowly faded from view his last thoughts were of how great a pleasure it would be to feel the hot splash of blood once more.

  
  
  
  


"What the heck was that sound?" Durine was anxious, worried. He looked around, as if maybe the source of the noise was in the room with us. I knew better.

"Come on!" We ran.

Out of the room, down the hall, and in time, to the infirmary. In total, it took perhaps two minutes to make a trip that walking normally would have taken two hours. Breathing hard, I nearly ran down my little Namekian friend, Durine in hot pursuit.

"It was that guy in the cloak. He just screamed, and collapsed. We haven't a clue as to just what's wrong. We just got him in the recovery chamber. He's out cold." Too calm. Ramza was too calm for the events that were taking place. People just don't appear out of no where, scream, and fall unconscious every day.

Durine walked from behind me, brushing against my shoulder. His gazed centered on the man in the healing unit, "Who are you?" He voiced the same words we were all thinking. "Ramza... What did he say? He never comes by unless he has something to tell us. Did he say anything before he fell?"

Ramza opened his mouth but never got the chance to speak. The words died unsaid as he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, not nearly swift enough, and saw something, no, someone, materialize out of nothing. He had no time, no second with which to ponder the motion.

He saw the motion, impossibly fast, as if in slow-motion. He saw the new man, a mutated thing, lift his arm. The finger-nails on that one hand extended, long, straight, narrow, and he knew razor-sharp. In one swift motion the being swung his arm forward, hoping to impale his friend Durine on those claws.

The black nails reached eager for that instant of pain before the end. They flew, faster than any eye could possibly detect, plunging deep into flesh, piercing the skin, the serrated edge ripping muscle, and they seemed to curl around the beating essence that was a heart. In truth they didn't, they just smashed that life-force into nothing.

Marrec stood before them, glorified in his action. Then his face contorted into terrified ugliness as he saw Ramza's lifeless body fall on top of him. The blond hair fell over Ramza's forehead, the yellow turning red as the blood was smeared into it, marring it's perfect golden hue. Blood was gushing out of his chest, pooling on the cold stone floor.

Marrec screamed once, and disappeared, his deed done.

  
  
  
  


You fool! The Brother survives! The words roared inside Marrec's mind. How could he have failed? Even with his new power? That stupid bodyguard! Revelation came slowly to the aching mutated mind. Blond! He was a Super-Saiyajinn! That stupid bodyguard Ramza was a Super-Saiyajinn! 

The Chosen One! It was he who taught the bodyguard the new trick. No matter. He shall be dealt with in time. They shall all be dealt with...

Marrec fumed, his mission a failure, he sought to placate his master. He replayed the memories over again in his head, trying to come up with some additional piece of information. The Namek child, the bodyguard, the target, the Chosen One... And there was one other... Hidden in the healing unit...

What is that? Give me the image! Lucavex stripped the image from Marrec's brain, assimilating it into his being. Recognition hit him with a shock. Xev! Another Immortal! What is another Immortal doing near the Chosen One?

The answer became obvious at once. Xev was trying to stop him... How DARE he! Then the meaning came to him slowly. Xev was unconscious. Only a short time after he had invaded Shaikoten's mind. It was Xev's energy, shunted through Durine, and into this half-brother that had stopped him.

A smirk of triumphant glee plastered upon his features, he reached into the chamber, still leaking bluish fluids, and grasped Shaikoten's head once more. Nothing. No barriers. There was nothing to stop him... And in moments, he had his answer.

  
  


As he flew through space, he was bombarded with a shower of tiny rocks. Detritus from the destruction of a planet probably. Shaikoten laughed in his tiny capsule as it sped onwards to it's destination. As he lay inside though, he felt a slight twinge of power, something he had never felt before.

He delved deeper into this energy, attempting to locate it's source. He punched a few keys on the console, redirecting his ship to home in on it. As he did, his ship began a steep climb into a star, plunging forward. Hurriedly he punched a few more keys, skirting the outer edge of the stellar corona.

That's it! There it is! This energy that he could not quite define... What was it? 

He pushed his senses to their limits, straining his energy to determine just what it was that could possibly survive within the confines of a star. As he did so, the energy called to him, rushing to him in a call of pure avarice. Power-mad he could feel the energy of this thing enter him, fill him, and pulse within him.

I must have it! And with that affirmation of desire, of an all-consuming need for ever-greater power, the energy responded, growing within him to the point of ultimate release, and a golden glow that matched that of the star shined forth from the capsule's window.

  
  


Finally! The exact location of the No-Star-Ball is mine! Lucavex withdrew his hand from the chamber, tiny drops of blue liquid flying from his fingertips in his haste. Lucavex took a moment to praise Xev's crystal ball for it's information. It had been completely correct when it told him that the path to his deepest desire would lie through the one known as Shaikoten.

Lucavex turned to his servant, and readied himself for the journey to the remnants of the original planet Namek.

"And we're here to stop you!"

  
  
  
  


I never saw the intruder. All I knew was that one moment, we were discussing the arrival of this cloaked individual, and the next moment, Ramza was lying face-down in a pool of blood. Ramza was dead.

"No!" Durine's firm denial of the situation brought about his own transformation, the familiar golden aura forcing us all back. It had all happened so fast, that only Ramza had even glimpsed the one who had done this, and now he was gone. "You can't die!"

Vorack lay down near the body, his hands over it, and the silver light streaming forth from it again. His face was awash with tears, and his jaw was set in grim determination, but to no avail. He could heal the body, but he could not bring the soul back from the next dimension.

"There is a way you can bring your friend back. But it comes at a great cost." The mysterious cloaked figure was standing on his own two feet again, outside the chamber.

"Who are you?" Durine always seemed to catch the words we all were thinking.

"My name is unimportant. Now time is of the essence. Do you want him back?" It seemed as if that timeless voice had aged a thousand years since that day on the landing pad.

As one we all three answered him with a resounding, "Yes!"

Xev was noticeably impressed that these three would so readily agree to endanger themselves for this one man. He shook it off, and directed them to place their hands upon the motionless body of the man we all had loved. "Concentrate on him, his essence, how you liked him. I will do the rest."

We did as we were told, staring wide-eyed at the man who claimed he could return those to life who had passed on, those who had died. But nonetheless, staring helplessly onwards, we did as we were told.

It seemed to take forever, though it was but an instant, time seemed to crawl by as the ugly ragged hole that had been ripped into Ramza's chest closed slowly, returning to it's natural state. The air had begun to sparkle with tiny motes of whitish light. All around us it seemed to take on the significance of a true miracle. Time had stopped it seemed, or maybe even reversed, when all of a sudden, we all snapped back into reality with the force of one in-taken breath.

That first breath pulled into those empty lungs seemed too much for one person to inhale. At first we just knelt there, unable to comprehend that our friend was back. Then it seemed as if we all were too busy fussing over him, making sure he was okay to bother paying attention to Ramza's continued pleas for us to get off him.

"As I said, it comes with a price. One you must all pay." The words hung in the air like a threat unveiled.

"I thank you for what you have done. Though how it was accomplished, I will never know. But what is this price you say we must pay?" Durine's question cut through to the heart of the matter, unwilling to waste a moment with innuendo.

"Direct. I like that. I respect that. I shall do you the courtesy of responding in kind. A man named Lucavex is currently trying to gain control of the Ultimate Power in the Universe. I want you to help me stop him. Hoshito I know is familiar with the Power of which I speak. All else is unimportant. Time is of the essence, we must leave here at once. Take my hand!"

Reluctantly we joined hands with the cloaked figure. At once he closed his eyes, and we could feel our bodies slowly dematerializing into nothingness. In the ageless moment between the stars, that nameless void, we all heard him utter into that nothingness one more sentence. "Oh yeah. You can call me Xev."

  
  
  
  


Xev. So nice to see you... Give the Universe my regards... Or more accurately, my condolences on it's own demise! I could hear the words, but I knew they were not spoken. Just being here gave me the chills, and when I saw the undead thing that gave those words life I nearly vomited for the first time in my life.

"What are you?" Durine again, using words as a weapon.

I am the last thing you puny weaklings will ever see. With that, there was no more time for words as Lucavex quickly made short work of us, blasts of unimaginable power hurling us back through the tower walls, and onto the dead ground below. A strange fetid stench wafted up as I attempted to extricate myself from the foul-smelling muck that tried to suck me down into it.

The sounds of battle continued above, but were quickly cut off. The four of us managed to get back into the air all around the same time, rushing to the tower again. Xev was unconscious again, and the ugly mutated being who had killed Ramza lay bleeding on the floor. Of the third, the corpse-like cadaverous man who stank of death, there was no sign.

  
  
  
  


The light would have burned his eyes in his sockets had they been there. Too bright it was. It burned his brain, burned the lifeless flesh from his bones. Too hot. The searing heat obliterated any thoughts he had. There was nothing, only unbearable, endless heat.

He plunged deep into the corona of the star, the gaseous exterior portion of the star. It could not be any hotter than this, it was already turning his bones to dust. And yet the heat only intensified. Had he a voice he would have taken the time to scream, as it was, there was no air to scream with, and he had no lungs left.

His Immortality may protect him from death, but not from pain. Already he had died a thousand deaths, and would die a million more before this was over. There was nothing here, only pain, and heat, and endless torment.

Long before he could ever have hoped to retrieve any power, there was nothing left of him. He had pushed his powers too far before this, he had no power left with which to combat the constant death. Had be been at his full power, he could have hoped to survive long enough to have obtained it. As it was, there was no chance.

His last thought as he disintegrated into his component elements and was burst into atomic particles was that perhaps this sacrifice might mean something to Rei, if she ever found out.

  
  
  
  


"It's done." They were Xev's first words as he stood. Of all of them, only Hoshito understood what that might mean.

"What do you mean it's done? What's done? That dead guy got away! How could this be done?" Durine was furious that this Xev person had endangered them all but mere moments after restoring Ramza. He did not take the possibility that he might lose his friend as soon as he regained him well.

"Lucavex is no more. His Immortality was not enough to sustain him inside the star. The secret of the Ultimate Power is safe. It is over." Xev's explanation was unsatisfactory, but we all knew we would not be getting anything else from him.

We walked over to the one who brought us here in the first place, the one who had killed Ramza. "His name's Marrec incase you wanted to know..." Xev's voice droned in the background, no longer important.

As we reached down, we saw that he was still alive, though only barely. He was unconscious, so we left him to rot here, thinking it a fitting response to his attack, though Durine was more than willing to finish him off.

And then, the laughter began...

  
  



	5. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


Part V

  
  


Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  
  
  


Discla- Oh, forget it... If you haven't figured out that I don't own this stuff by now, then you shouldn't be reading this!

  
  
  
  


Author's Notes: 

  
  


WOOHOO! It's time for the infamous Author's Notes! Or in this case... Arthur's Notes! First off, in response to Neko~Chan's comment last time, the whole Capitalized God and Immortal words... there's a reason for that... they are two "names" for a single "race" or Immortal God-like beings... Not really related to Shin. Actually they're most closely related to Garlic. Jr. because... Well I'll explain why right inside the story, so keep your eyes open... 

  
  


Second things, second... CONGRATULATIONS! Those of you who thought so, have finally stopped complaining about why their characters don't seem so powerful! Good for you for finally getting that through your thick heads! (Well... most of you)

  
  


*Hands them all little plushie graduation hats for them to throw*

  
  


Oh yeah... Durine? It was SUPPOSED to be fast-paced! Why else do you think I was using short scenes? Why else do you think I was re-writing the same scene from other people's point of view? Hunh? Hunh? Maybe I went a little over-board... I'll have to figure that out a little later. 

  
  


Now... Finally we get to start reading the actual story! I'm now forced to go WOOHOO! Again...

  
  


______________________________________________________________________________

  
  
  
  
  
  


"His name's Marrec incase you wanted to know..." Xev was trying to fill the empty silence after the battle, if it could be called that. Lucavex was gone, dead, we had won, but at what cost? "He was Lucavex's lackey, he'll be helpless now that his boss is gone."

Who cares? Ramza died because of this stupid prophecy. Even if we did manage to revive him... And Shaikoten... What's he doing here? Thoughts were running through my head at so rapid a pace I couldn't quite comprehend them.

Durine sedately walked over to the healing chamber, the broken Plasti-Glass crunching underfoot. Reaching inside the gaping hole, he released the inner latch, and with a nearly non-existent hiss, the doorway opened, and Shaikoten's limp frame fell forward into his brothers arms. A mild groan escaped his lips as Durine lay him gently upon the ground.

Ramza came up behind his leader and friend, laying a hand lightly upon Durine's shoulder as he knelt over his half-brother's body. "He'll be okay. Don't worry about him." Words, just words. 

"But you might not have been... This has taken such a tole upon us..." Durine was moved to tears, the wetness sliding down his cheeks, unabashedly weeping at so much loss. "And if could have been so very much worse..."

None of us felt up to the challenge of meeting those words, so we left them there, sitting, awaiting a response. And they got one...

  
  
  
  


A flash of heat, a wave of pain, and then there was nothing. No sight, no sound, no pain, no death. A shadowy spirit now, he flew over the face of the great orb, a dark spot on the sun. He had no body, no physical essence, only the undying will of an Immortal. It might have been centuries, or only seconds, he couldn't tell, before he finally knew something, felt something.

Power! There was no other word to describe it. Pure, unfettered power! He could feel it, just at the very edge of existence. Being new to this form, he had no way to actually come closer to it, but merely the thought of it and it happened. One thought, and he was there, in the presence of this final, absolute energy.

Reaching out to it, resonating with it, he felt it for the briefest of moments before he was repulsed, but that one moment was more than enough to take from it what he needed. Power! With this single massive upsurge of energy, he drew forth from the particles around him, reconstituted them into a remembered body.

With a body, came pain, and death, but he was used to these. He opened his eyes, only just realizing he had eyes now, and saw for the first time the tiny, unassuming sphere that was the No-Star-Ball. He grasped at it, managing to snag it, though the pain it gave him was far worse than that of the ever-lasting burning death of the pure nuclear fire.

Only then did the thought occur to him, and with the thought, came the action. The laughter that issued forth from his restored lips pounded from this solar prison, escaping gravity, escaping time, escaping the boundaries of the very universe itself. That laughter was heard at once by every being within those confines, as if it came from everywhere, and nowhere, at once.

The next thought that came to him, was that of returning to his tower, that place fo far removed from the bright, shining thing he now was. He decided against it. He would have a new palace, one of light, a burning, searing light that obliterated everything that did not shine. Yes, a fitting place. He faded from the star, faded from existence, and began to plan, plotting the end of his foes, the end of everything.

  
  
  
  


"What was that!" My words seemed too little a thing in the echoes of that laugh. Everything seemed too small a thing... Nothing ever known to exist could ever hope to equal that great, and terrible sound. 

Xev, now only on his knees as he picked himself up off the stone, tried to respond to that, give some sort of explanation. "That would be Lucavex." All head turned to him, orienting on the name as if they were the only hope in a beleaguered world. They very well just might have been. "He succeeded. He now has access to the greatest power imaginable, and the time of our existence has come to an end."

Fancy words for ceasing to exist. Not everyone could accept them. "What do you mean? You mean we're all going to die?" Vorack, tiny, childlike innocence... About to be lost for all time.

"No. We are not going to die. We will never have been. When Lucavex invokes the power of the No-Star-Ball, it is going to reshape the Universe. No one will ever have known you, because you were never born. In fact, none of us will ever have been born. There might be something to take our places... but we will be no more."

Plainer words, they began to sink in... The sheer magnitude of my failure weighed on me, threatened to break me under it's uncaring, solid mass. Even Sarah would never have been... Her death was preferable. At least I would remember her... Even if no one else would. She would still live on in me. But not anymore... Even that tiny speck of her I might salvage would be gone, as would everything else, and no one would even remember that things were ever any different.

"Wait a minute... If that were true... Wouldn't Lucavex have done something by now?" Ramza's mind worked on a different wavelength than most, having jumped to the logical conclusion before any of us had even started thinking. "It just strikes me as odd, that he has all this power now, but he's not using it."

"That's right!" Xev caught on the one point and held it. "There must be something stopping him! We must have time... But I can't imagine us having very much of it. We've got to strike while the iron is hot... We have no time to lose."

Before any of us could agree, or do anything other than stand around dumb-founded, darkness descended upon us, the shadows flew from their corners, surrounding us in unnatural shade. The darkness had teeth, tiny sharp daggers that sank into us with a freezing bite, sucking the life from us all.

Then it was over, the dark shadow-wraiths were gone as if the never were. It was over so fast none of us were quite sure it had even really happened... Although the swelling red welts on our skin told us otherwise. We all were in a state of shock, near-panic and none of us were paying any real attention to anything outside ourselves... Except Vorack...

"Look!" The word shook us again, though by now we all were getting so used to surprises that nothing seemed truly miraculous anymore. It was as if the defining principal of miracles, the fact that they are so incredibly rare, was suspended. This day all things were possible, and one more incredible thing to add to a very long list, was not much.

But even given out lack attitude to the miraculous, we turned our heads once more. The bodies of Marrec and Shaikoten were cloaked in an impenetrable sheet of darkness. "No!" The shadow-things ignored Durine's protest, but there was a reaction. Slowly, but with steadily increasing speed, the shadows were no longer black. Instead they began to glow.

Bright! Too bright! The light burned the eyes, even shaded, it seemed to ignore the closed lids, the hastily erected arm, even the eyes themselves, to burn away the brains of everyone there. When the brightness receded and we all opened our eyes, they were gone. It was too much for Durine, who having only just rescued his only family, to have lost him again so soon. He just fell to the ground while great racking sobs shuddered through him as he cried into his hands.

  
  
  
  


"Now, you're going to tell me just who this Lucavex person is, and why he wants Durine's brother. If you don't, you won't live long enough to see Lucavex destroy the Universe." Ramza's eyes blazed with a heated intensity.

Xev was nonplused, unfazed, and totally unconcerned with Ramza's threat. He reached up and shoed the Big Saiyajinn's finger away with his characteristic disdain. "Lucavex is in many ways a 'cousin' of mine. We two, and others like us, were born of flesh and blood just like you, but we have each of us lived so many years that you would have passed into dust ages before we blinked our eyes."

Only Vorack caught onto the implications of this. "You mean, you're Immortal? How?"

Xev only nodded in response. "Lucavex and I, along with a handful of others, have become Immortal. As to how, it was the Dragonballs. As you two know, the Dragonballs can grant any wish, even Immortality. We all have wished for it at one time or another."

Only Vorack had anything to say about that. "But, if that was true, my people would know about it. The Namek in control of the Dragonballs always knows what wish is granted each and every time. The Eldest Namek knows everything that each of the Guardian Nameks knows, and that knowledge is always passed down to the next Namek in line. So my people would know if any of the Dragonballs were ever used to do such a thing. But we know that it has not been done."

Xev smiled an indulgent little smile of his and only continued his story. "Do you think yours is the only Universe? No... There are many. And we Immortals can pass freely from one to another. Many name us Gods, and perhaps that is true too. But we are not omnipotent, though some of us would like to think so."

"Most of us don't bother the rest of the people of the Universes. Lucavex is the exception. When he wished for Immortality, something happened. In that instant that the wish was granted he died. Somehow it gave rise to an Undead being, who could neither live nor die. What little remained of his sanity was completely gone by then."

"I am not certain, but it is rumored among the other Immortals that What drove him to wish for Immortality in the first place was the need to defeat one person. His story is a long and tragic one. If we had decades perhaps it would be enough to give some small portion of it's depth but I shall give you the smallest portion of his beginnings."

"His sister was taken from him by a scientist, similar to your Doctor Gero Hoshito. The Doctor took his sisters essence and transported it into an android body, then took Lucavex himself and forced his body into more and more horrible mutations. It was unpleasant to say the least, and when the good Doctor was quite done, there was very little left of either of the two of them."

"Lucavex exacted his revenge upon the good doctor, but in doing so, he also destroyed the only person who had the knowledge to return him and his sister to who they were before. Still, they learned to live with this, but they then began collecting Dragonballs hoping the Eternal Dragon might be able to help."

"Unfortunately, when they finally collected them, someone stole them, and used them for himself, becoming Immortal. Immortal now, that person took Lucavex's sister and used her for his own pleasures. Not knowing what else to do, Lucavex did the only thing he could, which was to gather the Dragonballs again, and use the wish to make him Immortal in the hopes that it would be enough to allow him to defeat the other, and save his sister."

"Unfortunately, his sister had fallen in love with the man who had kidnaped her. So strange a thing love. Well Lucavex made his wish, but as I had said before, died in the process.. No one is quite sure how or why, but when it was over, Lucavex tried to save his sister who didn't need saving, there was a great battle, and in the thick of it, his sister was killed."

"They brought her back... But Lucavex never did forgive himself for killing his only family, just as Durine will never forgive himself if he cannot save Shaikoten. In the end, his sister, Rei, was also granted Immortality, so that she and her lover could be together forever. But the damage had been done."

"Some say that on that day when he killed his sister, he uttered the most unimaginable oath of total vengence that had been voiced in the long dark history of... well... history. He said that he was going to remove from existence everything that had borne witness to his shame. He would erase everything."

"And now, after so many millennia, he has finally gotten his hands upon the one thing that might well make his vision of oblivion a reality. So now you see why he is so great a foe. And why we cannot stay here anymore, we have waited too long already, we must move to strike, while there is still time!" Xev's impassioned plea was made, for better or worse. It did not fall on deaf ears.

A tiny piece of cloth lay on the floor. Slowly, almost tenderly, it rose from it's sedate position, while cradled in Durine's hand. The scrap of blue material was the only thing that reminded Durine of what he had lost, the only token memento of his only real family. With this one last shred of dignity clutched to his breast, Durine stood, his face a mask of grim determination.

"Yes. We must move out. Now. If the resources of my small band may help, use them. Shaikoten deserves the chance to make amends for the evil he has done. And I intend to make sure that he gets it." Those words said, Durine rolled the square up into a tight little rope, tying it around his arm to make sure it would not get in the way.

One by one the four of us all agreed to help Xev stop Lucavex. "Yes, there are a few things that you may be able to provide us with that might prove useful in the coming hours. I have a sneaking suspicion that we will need every little bit of help that we can get our hands on." We nodded, each of us now ready to do our utmost.

"Well then, lets get going."

  
  
  
  


The trip this time was less eventful... No words were said in that blank nothingness, none were needed. In moments we had returned to the hidden base of the Saiyajinn Resistance. Immediately Durine began running everywhere, shouting orders, and people who had just been pretending to be busy, now were.

It wasn't long before people were running around, making preparations for a full-scale assault. Some were disappointed that their easy days had come to an end, some were red-faced with that pre-battle flush of excitement, and others were beginning to feel that overwhelming terror that comes with the realization that they just might die. Most of them though, were relieved to actually be doing something for a change.

While Durine was giving orders, Ramza was running around, making sure those orders were followed. Not everyone was happy about the activity, but with the large warrior towering over them, they were not about to disobey. Xev and Vorack were waiting on the launchpad, not having anything to do.

I however, decided to pick up about the only thing that might make a difference, the bag of sensu beans that I had hidden in my spaceship. While I left the others to their own devices, I couldn't help but wonder just what the future might hold. How could we possibly stop an Immortal?

I tried not to think about it, tried not to think of anything. Just take it one thing at a time, don't think too hard about it, or else you're just going to go insane, and you're not going to be any good to anyone, least of all yourself. I kept repeating that to myself more to stop myself from thinking than anything else. The words "Don't Think" had become a mantra to me, my salvation in two small words.

It took precious few seconds in which to get the small canvas pouch, seconds we didn't have, but by the time I returned to the launchpad things had drastically changed, instead of uncertain people milling about, there was a more ordered confusion, as if there was a pattern to the whole thing but one that was so complex as to be incapable of being understood by mortals.

Taking deep breaths to try and calm myself, I closed my eyes for a moment as I waited for Ramza and Durine to return. With my eyes closed, all I could see was the textured darkness that lay behind my eyelids, but I wouldn't let the swirling rainbow distract me. A few more deep breaths, and my mind was at peace.

The time for thinking was over. Now there was time only to wait, to wait, and then, finally, to fight. 

  
  
  
  


"What's going to happen to me? I'm not a fighter like the others... Although I've been practicing a lot. I know that there nothing that I can do to make a difference here." Vorack's questioning tone was deep with concern. He wanted to help, that much was certain, he only wished to know how.

"Don't' worry child. Before this day is done, there will be more than enough work to be done by all." Xev didn't even look down into the young Nameks eyes to comfort him. No, Xev was cold, calculating, manipulative, and all-too-caring. I was glad we had him on our side.

Vorack seemed to take comfort in the words at least, and stilled the quivering of his lower lip as it was wont to do. He was a brave one, that little Namek child, willing to go up against a foe he couldn't possibly win again, and not willing to let that fact stop him from trying. I would be hard pressed to find one child in all the Universes everywhere that could match this one for spirit.

But I also knew that spirit alone was not going to win this battle, although it could very well be the determining factor. There was too much more at stake here to leave everything down to one persons choice. No. I would not let things degenerate into a coin toss. If everything was going to be destroyed as if it had never existed, than I was going to make sure that I had at least done my best to stop it. Perhaps it would be enough.

  
  
  
  


"Look Ramza, you don't have to do this. It's my brother, it's my responsibility to get him back. You don't have to come with me. You'd only be putting yourself in danger. I know that I'm supposed to be the leader of this little rebellion of ours, but everyone here looks up to you, they follow you. They only listen to me because you make them."

"You know as well as I do, that if I die, you can carry on my work to try and help these people. But if you die, I don't know if I'd have the strength to go on, knowing that it was my fault that you weren't by my side. And even if I did have the strength, no one would listen to me. I'm just silly for even trying..." Durine would have gone on in his useless tirade, but Ramza cut him off.

"That's enough bullshit for now Durine. The Saiyajinn here aren't the same people they were thirty years ago. Back then, we were a ruthless bloodthirsty people. Now we've changed, and it's all because of you. Don't you even THINK of letting them down by sending me away." Ramza words were harsh, but they needed to be to get through Durine's thick head.

"Look. Even if you die, your work will have been worth it. Look at us... Not ONE of us here hasn't been changed. We're just as powerful as before, perhaps even more-so. But now that power has been tempered with passion, kindness, caring, compassion. You've changed us Durine, for the better."

Slowly, Ramza's speech made it's way into Durine's head, and the sullen expression on his face was replaced by a smile. It was the smile of a Saiyajinn who was about to do what he was born to do. Fight.

  
  
  
  


"Why!"

The force placed into that single syllable was incredible. Marrec was forced backwards by the breath of it. Lucavex's voice now that he had one was unbearably strong. It was as if all the energy he had saved not using it for thousands of years was placed into that one word. He had only just risen from unconsciousness and his master was already furious.

Marrec bided his time, awaiting the explanation he knew was coming. It was always his masters way to explain himself for no reason, as if he constantly needed reassurance that his methods could be understood. Marrec profited by this as much as anything else his master gave him, for information was always the most valuable commodity. He didn't have long to wait.

"Why can I not use this blasted thing! It responded to me once, why not now!" Lucavex's anger was a palpable thing, hot, dry, and without compromise. Marrec shied away from his masters rage, and tried to protect his eyes from the glare of his masters body. 

The transformation his master had undergone was strange and unnerving. From dusk to dawn, dark to light, death to life, true, but the evil presence was the same. No matter the shape of body, it was the same man, the same presence of power that would have thrown him across the room as soon as look at him.

Even so, the greatest change was from bitterest cold, to blazing heat. Being near his master now was like being in a furnace, and heat was not something Marrec was either used to or liked. It was too much, too hot, too far from what he knew, that Marrec feared for himself. Not for his soul, because if he had one, he had given that to Lucavex long ago, but for what little remained of his life.

Not thinking about what he was doing Marrec instinctively reached out for whatever power he could find, trying to protect himself from his masters unbearable wrath. Then he found something. A tiny presence, far away, but strong. He reached for it, not caring what it was, or that his master would know, he only cared that he was in danger.

The power responded, came to him, filled him up, protecting him, cradling him in swathes of blessed coolness. Immediately he sighed in relief, a small sound, but enough to attract the attention of his master.

"What are you doing!?"

Distracted by his masters voice, Marrec halted his actions, standing there, stunned. He felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, small, impotent, and guilty. He stammered, stuttering a reply, but could not make any intelligible sound pass the knot in his throat.

"The Power! It reacted to you!" Lucavex, though in a rage, contemplated this for a moment. His fingers lifted to stroke his chin, contacting for the first time, new stubble. An idea hit him, but uncertain of it's validity, he decided to try something. "Do it again. Whatever it is that you did, try it again."

Tentatively, Marrec reached for the power. Still not sure what was happening, or why, only knowing that he could not fail his master, Marrec found the power, and could feel the light tingling sensation as it filled him with it's energy.

"Enough!" With a decisive chop of his hand, he ended the connection of the two. The power would respond to Marrec, but not himself. Why? Then the answer hit him. Of course! How could I be so blind!

Mortality... Marrec was mortal... He had never received the gift of Immortality from the Eternal Dragon, never wished for it. The very essence of his power prevented him gaining any more. Denied access, Lucavex screamed once to the heavens, the earth shaking beneath him, and saw Marrec stumble.

His deepest darkest desire had been thwarted! How could he annihilate the Universes without the power? That answer too came to him slowly. He needed a mortal to do it for him. His eyes centered on the only Mortal who he could trust to do his bidding. Yes... He would have to do...

  
  
  
  


It had only been five minutes since our arrival at the base, but already the Saiyajinn Resistance had already readied themselves for battle. Suited up in their armor of varied colours, and lined up in rows, each one had the glint of anticipation in their eyes. Professional and extremely competent, each one was a model of military precision.

Had I not recently been witness to the power of their foe, I might have been impressed. As it was, I knew it would not be nearly enough. Still, they might buy us the precious few seconds that could easily make the difference between victory, and oblivion. There would be no in-between.

At the moment we were only waiting the arrival of Xev, who had left to discover the just where Lucavex had run to. While waiting, Ramza scoured their ranks, correcting any mistakes in poise or posture. In the meantime, Durine stood at the forefront, addressing his men, explaining to each of them only what they needed to know, no more. If they knew the stakes, they would each be as likely to turn tail and run as to fight. Better they be spared that humiliation.

"True... They don't need to know what they're fighting for. It's better this way." Xev's voice appeared behind me, but I was not faxed. By now, I was used to his obscure entrances and exits. Without turning my head, I only nodded, acknowledging his presence, and agreeing.

It was several seconds before anyone else realized Xev had returned, but when they did, the reaction was immediate. An hour ago, no one in the place would have even looked twice at the cloaked Immortal. Now, his presence had the palpable effect of quiet, as a silent anticipation slid over the people here, throwing them into an expectant hush.

No one said anything for what seemed like hours, but when the silence was broken it was shattered by Xev himself. "I'm here to transport you in this mission directly from here, to the liar of our enemy. You each know your tasks, and have been informed of the role you are to play in the current events, you don't need me to tell you that. The only thing I'm going to say now is a reminder of why you're here, and why you're doing this."

I wasn't certain what Xev had in mind, and though I had an inkling, I kept quiet. "Remember your families, those of you who have them. That is why Durine is fighting, for his brother who was taken. Remember your friends too, for as his best friend, Ramza will follow his friend into the jaws of hell itself."

"And most of all, remember yourself, your soul. For there are many in this battle who fight without them, and that will be your greatest ally in this battle. Without the spirits of each and every one of you, this battle would already be lost, but with them, perhaps we have a chance. I can't tell you if you'll survive, but I can tell you that if you fight with all your heart, and all your soul, then every one of you will be remembered."

"Today will be perhaps the greatest foe you will ever face, most certainly the greatest foe you have fought thus far. If you decide to quit here no one will think less of you for it. But think perhaps of your future, how you might live for a hundred years past this day, and how you would always regret that decision. I can guarantee you, that you all would trade every day from this day forward for one last chance to come back, and show this asshole what the Saiyajinn race is all about!"

The resounding cheer that was given up by those thousand throats strove to equal the heinous laughter of only a few minutes before, strove to beat back the thoughts of darkness that lay just beyond the thoughts of battle.

They did not fail to do so.

  
  
  
  


It was with a combination of abject terror and wanton ambition that Marrec reached for the No-Star-Ball. The Ultimate Power of the Universe. The power of total creation, and total annihilation. His master was entrusting him to use it. To use it to destroy everything.

But wait? What if I don't destroy everything? All I have to do is destroy Lucavex himself, and I will be free to take the No-Star-Ball and rule the Universe, recreate it in my own image! The thought was a tempting one... And one he had begun to give into.

Unfortunately, Lucavex was not to be so undone. "Do not think to deceive me. I have known of your thoughts of freedom since they first appeared. I have put up with them so far because you have always before placed your own desires beneath mine. Until now." There was a hollow finality to the sound.

Marrec could feel his master inside his mind, invading him, destroying anything that he was, replacing it only with whatever Lucavex wanted, whatever Lucavex needed. He tried to scream, tried to call forth the power of the No-Star-Ball, tried to go insane, tried to do anything, to no avail.

All was blazing brightest light, there was nothing of Marrec that his master had not taken away, his master would take everything... No! Not his master! Lucavex! With a supreme effort of will Marrec shouted that final denial with a force that even Lucavex could not deny. Having suppressed his true feelings for so many years, the pent-up rage at having his own will so sublimated exploded now.

You will NEVER be my master! NEVER! Do you hear me Lucavex! NEVER! Marrec had won his freedom for a moment, rebelling from his former master with a unending hatred that dimmed the bright light of Lucavex's will. It was only a second, but perhaps it would be enough, he reached for the power of the No-Star-Ball.

If he had had one second more, it might have been enough. But as it was, Marrec could not hope to call forth enough energy in so short a period of time to combat an Immortal. So with a move too quick to be seen, Lucavex grabbed his former servant, and threw his from the shining palace.

Marrec sailed through the air, pounding through the walls of the palace and into the cold night air far away. Without the powers of Lucavex or the No-Star-Ball he was defenseless, and could feel his strength slipping away. And then he could feel nothing.

  
  
  
  


"Without Marrec, who could destroy the Universe for me?" Lucavex was mumbling to himself when he felt the sudden appearance of dozens, if not hundreds of individual energies. On their own, only a handful were of any consequence, but together they could become a nuisance. 

"Xev!" He knew without seeing him that it was Xev. It could be no other. "First I will deal with you and your pathetic fools, then I will destroy EVERYTHING!" The voice edged on the borders of madness.

With a minuscule twinge of his power, he brought forth all the minions he had gathered over the centuries to do his bidding. Some he brought back from the grave, others he merely teleported here. All of them were powerful, and every one of them were brought to the height of their energies through Lucavex's all-consuming hatred of everything.

There was a moment of silence as the two armies squared off, one light, one dark, both with nothing left to lose. Then the silence was broken, and the battle began.

  
  
  
  


We thought it was going to be easy. We were wrong.

The teleportation was simple, easy, just as before, but with a hint of magnitude to it. Almost like if you tried, you could sense the others with us, sense their powers, sense their thoughts, and feelings... They say sometimes that getting there is half the battle, but in this case it was patently false. Getting there was the easy part.

When we arrived, it seemed like Lucavex had decided upon an open-door policy... Inviting us inwards, daring us to attack. I thought I caught a small speck of something falling in the distance, but I couldn't be sure, so I left the thought alone. However, when I turned my attention back to the castle, the way was blocked now by hundreds, possibly thousands of warriors.

Well, we came here for a fight, and Lucavex seemed more than willing to accommodate us. Time stood still for the briefest of moments, it was as if time, knowing that it's very existence was threatened, took this one second to contemplate itself. But time was a fickle mistress, as was luck, something we were about to run out of.

Hoarse screams were punctuated by their sudden cessation. The wailing of the dead and dying filled my ears as the battle raged. The minions of Lucavex outnumbered us ten-to-one, and were heedless of their own destruction, killing our warriors by any means necessary, even if it meant killing themselves as well. Our warriors were not so mindless as that, but had power, training, and the endless Saiyajinn battle-lust on their side.

For a time it seemed as if we were evenly matched, but then numbers, and recklessness began to take their toll. For each on of their warriors we destroyed, two more took their place, and our warriors had already begun to tire. It seemed a lost cause, hopeless. Who were we to think we could fend off the forces of an Immortal?

It was Durine's rallying cry that awoke us from our torpor, rousing our hearts, and seeking a way to cut through their ranks. With a wordless cry, and a sudden splash of golden radiance he transformed, forcing the hordes of monsterous things back. With renewed vigor at seeing their leader thus empowered, they all leapt to the attack.

Now it was the minions of Lucavex who began to lose ground, having already lost hope. With a single stroke of power, Durine flashed a dozen of them into dust, and carried his warriors into the fray. Vorack, Xev, Ramza and I followed in his footsteps, blasting when threatened, but not showcasing our full powers. We would need them against Lucavex himself.

In no time at all, we had gained a foothold in Lucavex's palace itself. And left the others to take care of what remained of Lucavex's minions. We had bigger fish to fry...

  
  
  
  


"No! How can they have beaten my warriors so easily! Damn them!" Lucavex fumed in impotent rage. "I MUST find a way to use this power, and now!" 

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucavex caught a motion. Swinging around, he fired a blast of pure Psionic energy, designed to waste any mind left unguarded. Unfortunately, the movement was the body of Shaikoten, returning from unconsciousness. The blast caught him full on, destroying all remnants of his mind utterly.

Lucavex bellowed his frustrations, unable to console himself. He retrieved the tiny orange sphere from the table where it rested, and flung it with all his might. He cared not where it landed, for if he could not have it's power, then no one would.

The little ball landed with an audible crack right into the forehead of Shaikoten. A tiny trickle of blood leaked from the wound. Miraculously, the ball didn't plunge straight through, but merely imbedded itself into the frontal lobe of Shaikoten's brain, sitting there like some obscene third eye.

"No!" Durine's voice was filled with shattered hope as he saw the damage Lucavex had done to his brother. "You animal! You'll pay!" And with those words he unleashed the fullest part of his fury at the insane God. To no effect.

"Save yourself Durine. This battle is mine and mine alone." Xev's words held the force of prophecy. "I have been preparing for this since before I gained my Immortality." Having just run up countless stairs, none of us were out of breath. We were all too wrapped up in the events taking place to do anything other than stare.

Xev walked forward, brushing the shaken Durine out of his way, his eyes locked onto Lucavex's shining body. "And now you will answer for your crimes Lucavex." Soft, oh so soft his voice, but with a strength that would not be denied.

"Never!"

"Lucavex attacked, launching a bright attack, while a wave of nausea washed over us. Had it been a real attack, we would have been prepared, but as it was, the room spun, our stomachs rebelled, and nearly all of us were doubled over, retching. The sole exception was Xev, who knew Lucavex's tactics better than any of us, and was ready for it. 

However, when the blaze of light faded, Lucavex was nowhere to be seen. Xev too was gone mysteriously, probably to do battle with the demonic Immortal who had done these things. I myself seemed to be just along for the ride. It can't be over yet... Was the prophecy wrong? Am I to play no part in this?

I didn't know, and I didn't want to know. Instead I tried to console Durine over the loss of his brother yet again. They had not been close, but they were family, and Saiyajinn blood was ever thick. Durine had carefully extricated his brothers body from the shackles that had kept him attached to the wall, and laid him gently down upon the cold stone floor.

Ramza walked over to his friend and leader but did not touch him, instead leaning down to check the vitals of his half-brother. "He'll be okay... He's still alive... We don't know what Lucavex did to him, but perhaps there's still a chance..."

Still, I could not rid myself of the feeling that there was more to it than this. It was too simple, too clean an ending... Little did I know just how right I would turn out to be...

  
  
  
  


"Get back here you fiend! You can't run from me!" Xev flew after the retreating God. They were in the Immortal Realm, having transported themselves here at the moment of Lucavex's attack.

Lucavex turned around, firing a blast of golden energy at Xev, who only barely managed to dodge. Taking advantage of Xev's distraction, Lucavex rushed the younger God, landing a solid left hook that threw the other back.

Xev was in trouble, and he knew it. Lucavex was stronger, faster, and more experienced than him, and was not going to make any mistakes. He was in over his head, but that didn't matter. One way or the other, this was going to end now! With that thought, Xev turned around in mid-air, his hand jutting out and connecting with Lucavex's neck as the other had teleported behind him.

This was more a battle of wits than a battle of strength. Both warriors were so incredibly powerful that there was virtually no difference, although Lucavex had a slight advantage there. The deciding factors would most likely be mental, not physical. Knowing this, Xev taunted the elder God, pressing the attack.

They exchanged a few blows, none of the telling, and disengaged. The formless grey-on-grey background of the Immortal Realm reminded Xev of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, with it's infinite expanses of nothingness. Perhaps there was a way to turn that to his advantage, but the method eluded him for the moment.

He needed time to think of a strategy, but Lucavex was not about to give him that time. He had been preparing to face an Undead Lucavex, one who's body was weak from disuse. He had thought to face an enemy who used mostly his mind. Instead, he faced an opponent who's body was extraordinarily well-conditioned, at the peak of it's power.

He wasn't prepared for this kind of intensively physical battle, but he would not stop it for anything. Prepared or not, this had been going on long enough. There would be an end to it. So he merely attacked, with all his body, all his heart, and all his soul. He poured forth the needful death of this evil thing. It would kill him, it must kill him, it had to...

It was not enough.

Lucavex met the attack blandly, tossing it away as if it were nothing, and unleashing one of his own. An attack based in the nuclear furnace that had caused his rebirth, it contained within it the living heart of a star. Xev tried to defend himself, but could not. It was too much.

Bleeding freely from dozens of minor wounds, and clutching his chest, Xev managed to survive the blast. Lucavex had expected this, and dove foot-first to the attack. The kick landed squarely on his chin, sending his back again.

That began a series of crushing physical blows, each one more powerful than the last, each one taking one more and more of Xev's precious life-force. Lucavex was showing off, pummeling him into the ground as easily as he might have pounded some fresh meat to soften it up. Xev struggled to stay conscious, but it was a losing battle.

"I told you that it was hopeless. How could you hope to stand against me? Ha! Laughable that you might think that!" Lucavex's voice grated on Xev's nerves. But what could he do about it?

There was still one thing that he might do. He had refrained from using it, because he would have nothing left, but as it was he had no choice. This was an all or nothing attack, if it failed... He didn't let himself contemplate it, but merely began the process of calling forth the power.

At first, there was nothing, merely the faint suggestion of a hum, too low to be heard, only just on the verge of being felt. The sound grew in Xev's throat like a thing alive. The very air around Xev seemed to shimmer as the deep bass sound passed through it. Even though his eyes were closed in concentration, Xev knew that Lucavex had no idea what was coming.

"One final attack dear friend? Ha! When will you learn that you can't defeat me!" A twisted contorted thing Lucavex's voice, too evil to be considered handsome. He was cocksure, oblivious to the possibility that he might be defeated. It would be his downfall.

The sound continued to grow, now waves of energy could be seen flowing from Xev's body as his muscles tensed, spasming with the effort to control this massive up-swelling of energy. After only a few moments it was ready, and Xev's eyes opened, their perfect blue hue shining in the reflected un-light of the Immortal Realm.

With absolute precision, Xev unleashed this final assault, tapping into the fullest depths of his Immortal power, consuming himself in an effort to eradicate from existence this blemish on the face of history. The blue energy shot forth from his entire body, blue like the sky on a bright summers day, blue like the deep tropical oceans.

Not caring what colour the energy might be, Lucavex stood there, challenging the attack, defending himself with a fully charged barrier erected from his borrowed power. Thanks to the energy of the No-Star-Ball that he had managed to steal in that instant, and the borrowed power from the stellar core, he knew that nothing the other Immortal could muster would ever hope to be enough.

Unfortunately for Lucavex, he had not counted on Xev delving so deeply into energies rooted in his Immortality. The blast caught him by surprise, the force of it crashing into him with disastrous effect. He knew not how Xev had managed an attack of this magnitude, especially in his weakened state.

His defenses down, the blast hit him full on, draining his energy, and forcing him backwards to fall deep into what would have been the ground had this been any other place save the Immortal Realm. With the ground to fortify his defenses, give him a focal point for his energy, Lucavex fought back, forcing the energy away from his battered body. And succeeded.

Xev had nothing left, his body was a shattered, withered husk of a thing now, and he too fell from the heights, a wasted body. He had nothing left. Lucavex was not much better, having taken the brunt of the brutal assault and was much the worse for wear. Xev lay dying on the ground, and Lucavex was gasping for breath.

"I don't know how you did that... But it won't matter in a moment, because you won't be around much longer." Lucavex stumbled over to Xev, taking one halting step after another. As he neared the other Immortal, he slowed his approach, till finally, only a meter or so away from the other, he stopped entirely.

Xev struggled to keep his eyes open, watching as his enemy halted in his footsteps for no apparent reason. It took a moment for Xev to realize what was happening, but finally, he could see the fear in Lucavex's eyes. A faint glow came unbidden to Lucavex's flesh, energy was welling up inside him, and faint cracks appeared in his skin, cracks through which a blinding white light shone.

The Star! His original body had been destroyed, and only the energy of the No-Star-Ball had allowed Lucavex to create this new one. Now that energy was gone, and the atoms that made up his body were beginning to lose cohesion and revert back to their stellar form. Xev struggled, and somehow found enough energy to close his eyes against the light.

Lucavex's face contorted into a startled mix of pain and surprise. He managed to contain himself for a moment longer, forcing the particles making up his body to stay together, but not for long. After a second, Lucavex burst into a trillion tiny pieces, each of them as bright as a newborn sun.

  
  
  
  


"It's okay Durine. He'll be okay..." Ramza still tried ineffectually to comfort his friend and comrade. The sounds of battle outside had dwindled to nothing. Who had won didn't matter anymore.

I began wondering who was winning in the battle between Xev and Lucavex. I hoped it was Xev. It was at that precise moment when Xev appeared, broken, battered, and bruised, lying on the floor like an old doll someone had thrown away. Me and Vorack rushed to his side, checking to see if he was okay.

There were great red welts rising on one side of his face, as if he had been exposed to incredible heat. His eyes were glazed over, unseeing. At first I wasn't sure he was still alive, until I saw his chest rise and I heard the great shuddering intake of air. "Quick, Vorack! Can you heal him?"

I needn't have asked, as the familiar silver light was already suffusing Xev's shattered form with new health. I could see the effort that this healing was taking from the young child, and I was amazed that he could continue. How it was even possible that Xev was still alive in this condition I knew not, but how this young child was forcing those dead and dying cells to live again, was unfathomable.

Somehow, the cuts healed, the burns receded, and the broken bones had begun to knit themselves together once more. Long before the healing was finished though, the young Namek fell forward, already asleep, onto Xev's chest, his last ounce of strength spent. Still, though Xev was no where near fully healed, he would live.

"But wait... Aren't you Immortal? How could you have these wounds? Wouldn't you just heal right after?" I wasn't sure that Xev could hear me, but when his eyes opened, and he smiled, I knew that he had.

With a great effort, Xev answered, "Normally yes. But in order to defeat Lucavex I gave up my Immortal life. I thought I had given up even my mortal life, but apparently not. My thanks to you and your friend here." He stopped then, coughing up great gouts of blood.

"Hush. Don't speak. You're still not fully healed yet. Conserve your strength." I reached into the tiny canvas pouch at my side, retrieving one of the precious sensu beans I carried. "Here, this should help." I said, placing the bean into his mouth, and letting him do the rest. 

The effect was immediate, and pronounced, but although still not quite fully healed, Xev was at least able to stand unassisted. He picked the young Namek off of him first, laying him gently upon the floor, allowing him his well-deserved rest. "Thank you." Simple words, no more was needed.

"Well I guess the prophecy was wrong... The old Namek said that I was going to play some great pivotal role in the fate of the Universe... But here we are, alive, Lucavex defeated, and I basically did nothing." My words were filled with trepidation, but my voice was steady, questioning everything.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shaikoten rise, the No-Star-Ball still imbedded deeply into his forehead, but the ball was different now. Instead of a twisted mockery of Tien's third eye, the orange orb had changed. It was a real eye now.

And that all-seeing, all-powerful eye, was open.


	6. To Be, Or What?

Hoshito's Odyssey

  
  


Part VI

  
  


"To Be, Or What?"

  
  


By:

  
  


Arthur E. King

  
  
  
  


Arthur's Notes: Well it's finally here... the last installment of the Hoshito's Odyssey story... Don't worry, we will definitely be seeing more of Hoshito in the future, just not for a little while. Now I know that a lot of you people have been demanding more fight scenes, and don't worry, this one's full of 'em. And I promise to at least TRY not to repeat myself too much this time.

  
  


First of all, I'm going to thank Lucavex for making me write this story, if it wasn't for him, I probably would never have gotten much past the idea stage... 

  
  


Oh yes, where would I be without Neko~Chan? Not here, that's for sure... without her constant pragmatic advice, this entire story would have far more repetitive, far less original, and far less interesting... not to mention illegible.

  
  


Thanks to all the Z-Fighters for reading, and for reviewing. Thanks to Shaikoten and Marrec for allowing me to use your characters, and Thanks to Vorack, wherever you are, your Namek will probably die in the next story though, but only if I don't hear from you... You have the power to save yourself... use it!

  
  


And lastly... Thanks to everyone at FanFiction.net and Dragonball Z World MUD for not kicking me off your servers, deleting my characters, and just making a general nuisance of yourselves. WOOHOO!

  
  


As for what happens in the next story... Well all I can say right now, is that it's not going to be anywhere NEAR as dramatic, all-encompassing, and doomy as this one. The stakes are definitely going to be far less... But don't worry, we'll have some old faces, some new ones, and lots of ones in the middle of being disfigured by other peoples fists, feet, and fury.

  
  


So congratulations to me for finally getting something done on time, and congratulations you for putting up with my restless ranting, raving, and general insanity. WOOHOO!! Yay!

  
  


Oh yeah... And if you're unfamiliar with the title of this chapter, it's taken from a performance of Robin Williams at the met... it's his impression of Silvester Stallone doing Hamlet. Seeing as the entire Universe is on the line, I thought it was an appropriate phrase...

  
  


So just sit back, relax, make sure your seats are in fully upright and locked position, and please make sure your seatbelts and tray tables are securely fastened at all times. And oh yeah... buckle up, and enjoy the ride folks... 

  
  


Oh great... Now my Author's Notes are almost as long as Neko~Chans! No! Stop me now!

  
  


End

  
  
  
  


______________________________________________________________________________

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Well. It looks like my brother has met with an unfortunate end. Pity. If only he wasn't insane, it would have been nice to have a family get-together one of these days." Rei's low and breathy voice slid from red-painted lips parted oh-so-expertly in the barest hint of a pouty smile.

"Yes... Well it's really too bad he had to come to such an unfortunate demise, but that's what happens when you reach too far beyond your limits. He should have been satisfied with the power he had, but no, he had to go and try and rule the Universe without us. He got what he deserved." Slow, determined words, spoken in a high raspy voice like nails on a chalk-board.

A voice that seemed to come from a shadowed corner of the Goddess's bedchambers. Rei could only just make out the outline of a short man, she couldn't tell any more than that. Though the twitching tail at his side spoke volumes. "Perhaps I should have killed him when I had the chance. I could have, all those years ago you know. Too bad for him that you still had feelings for him. Oh well."

With a flippant gesture Rei accepted the figure's word, and dismissed them as trivial. She knew all too well what had happened, for it had happened in the Immortal Realm, and all Immortals know everything that transpires there. "Yes, well I got over those quickly. Still, loyalty is a far harder virtue to be relieved of, which was precisely why I didn't kill the poor fool myself. But I guess I'll just have to thank Xev for doing it for me."

The dark man moved through the room as one who had visited here often, sticking to the shadows, knowing precisely where the light would fall. He neared the bed upon which Rei lay, while his face was still hidden from her, as if he could hide anything from her. "However, your brother was right about one thing."

For a fleeting second, Rei almost appeared surprised, then it was gone. "Oh really? And just what pray tell was he right about?" Honeyed sarcasm dripped from her tongue like blood from a oft-used sword.

"The No-Star-Ball... It exists... Of course, if it gets damaged, there's a rather good chance that we might loose our Immortality..." The thought made Rei's hair stand on end, something the other's raven hair did constantly. "I think perhaps we should try to assure our future, don't you?" The idea now implanted in her head, Rei could do nothing but nod.

"Well then, I guess we shall be off..." The shadowy being turned suddenly, moving to leave, though he stopped when Rei's voice caught him, held him in place.

"You do know of course, that the other Immortals will probably come to the same conclusion. Ever since that day you whisked me off my feet after making that wish of yours, you've always led me around. I think perhaps it's time I begin making my own footsteps." They were the first words uttered in his company that were not of complete submission to his will. It was both an exciting and frightening prospect all at once.

"Perhaps... We'll see, if we live long enough after this day to find out." The short man turned on his heel, and stalked away from Rei's bedchambers, leaving Rei unsatisfied, something no other man did with impunity. "Are you coming dear? Or will I have to drag you by those beautiful golden tresses you spend so much time caring after?"

Her hair in jeopardy, Rei quickly got off the four-poster bed, clad only in a smile. Within the span of time between heartbeats though, her form was hidden beneath the hard exterior of her battle garb, and the smile was all but gone from her face. "Come dear. We have enemies to face. Or would you have a girl do a prince's job for him?"

"Insufferable woman!" The cry was meaningless, utter nonsense, just like the rest of this conversation.

"Yes." Was her simple reply.

With that, Rei vanished from sight, Vegeta only a fraction of a second behind her.

  
  
  
  


When Shaikoten rose, it was as if the whole Universe stood up and took notice. Then came the hushed silenced that was forced upon us like shackles. Shaikoten's third eye peered through the gloom of the night, gazing at each of us, into us, through us really. That eye commanded a still silence, the calm before the storm.

"He's alive!" Vorack's voice cut through the silence Shaikoten's rise had engendered. His childlike innocence protected him from the blank stare of Shaikoten's empty eyes. His was the look of insanity, the look of oblivion.

Durine approached his brother slowly, cautiously, as one might approach a rabid dog suddenly still. Without making any sudden motions that might startle the beast into attacking once more, Durine made his way to his brother's side. He reached up one hand to his brother's unnaturally still side, reaching for the touch of his siblings fingers.

"No." Xev's voice had lost the Immortal keen to it, but it was still a voice of unanswerable authority. "This is not Shaikoten. Not anymore. Lucavex's attacks upon his mind has left nothing of what was once his mind. There is nothing in there anymore, only the eye, the solid will of the No-Star-Ball to have it's power used."

"How do you know God?" Ramza spat the word as if it tasted foul upon his lips. "You no longer have the senses of an Immortal. How can you know that Shaikoten isn't in there somewhere?" He was standing up for his friend, keeping alive the dim hope that perhaps there might be something worth saving.

Xev's head bowed slightly in acceptance of his new limitations, but he did not back down. "You are right, I no longer possess those faculties. But I still possess the accumulated knowledge of many generations, and I am not blind. That thing in front of you is no more his brother than I am Immortal. We were once, but the names no longer applies to such as we."

Durine however, was having none of it, and his fingers reached up once more, to touch the hand of the only family he knew still survived. The others were just standing by, idly watching, not doing a thing to change, to stop Durine from making this one fatal mistake.

"No Durine." Soft, so soft that it was almost silent. Something more felt than heard. "Xev's right. Your brother's gone." A pinprick would have been louder than my voice, but where a shout would have gone unnoticed, a whisper often suffices. Durine stopped his hand once more, and looked over at me, his eyes pleading with me to be wrong, to rescinded my earlier statement, to do anything that might bring back some hope of his brother's continued existence.

"Give it up Durine. This will bring nothing but pain to us all." Slow, and steady, and soft, my voice had a soothing effect on Durine's sorely overtaxed senses. He couldn't accept the facts, but he couldn't ignore them either. He was caught halfway in-between hope, and truth, and there was no middle-ground between the two.

"No!" He cried, and leapt for Shaikoten's floating body, clasping his arms around what might have been his brother in another lifetime. The physical contact began a sudden, cataclysmic reaction that whole Universes might regret, or be unable to, with no one left to remember them.

None of us were quite sure what happened next or in what order, but several things did happen, even if we don't know the how, or when, or why of it. We all saw Durine fly backwards, hitting the tower wall head-first, and falling unconscious to the floor. We all saw, or thought we saw Shaikoten's first move, the lifting of a single finger of his left hand. We all bore witness to the golden radiance the spewed forth from Shaikoten's Semi-Saiyajinn blood.

What none of us saw, or felt though, was the sudden, inexplicable arrival of a dozen new powers, every one of which too great for mere words to describe. The Immortals had arrived, and were to take part in this final struggle for ultimate supremacy and control of all the Universes in existence.

  
  
  
  


There was nothing, no action, only reaction. He could not act, could not see, let alone think. He was nothing, nothingness, oblivion. And he was everything. Just at the edge of what might have been termed consciousness, he could sense power, ultimate, unbelievable power. Power enough to create and destroy everything a million times over, and have barely touched the surface of it.

But that was just it... It was just power, pure, meaningless power. It had no direction save that which he gave it, and being unable to think, he could not give it anything. All he was, had been stripped away, layer by layer through Lucavex's ministrations, and the leftovers consigned to oblivion through his final attack.

That he was even alive was a miracle, though not as miraculous as one might think. Only his mind had been damaged, not his body, or at least, his body had not suffered much. But it was uncertain if he was truly "alive" by any definition. Being completely unable to accept input, let alone make a choice as to an action, let alone act upon that choice, he merely stood there, a meek parody of life.

That is, until Durine's touch awoke the most primal urge for self preservation. He knew nothing of what he did, could not feel any remorse for his actions, because he was running on pure reflexive actions, nothing cognizant. Still... Had he known better, he would have done no less... In fact, chances are, were he sane, most likely he would have deleted everything like so many corrupted files on a hard drive.

Thankfully though, he was not sane, was incapable of action, only reaction, which might just give the others a chance... slim though it might be...

  
  
  
  


"My God... He's harnessed the power... How are we ever going to be able to beat him? How is it possible? How!" I was quickly passing from calm and in control, to panicked, and crazy. I was shaking, my body responding to my terror, and the other's faring little better.

"It's not." Xev was the only one of us who was not half-way insane with fear. "But this is one case where it is necessary to do the impossible. For otherwise, we all are doomed." However, at that very moment, the Immortals, in an effort to preserve their way of life, chose that moment to begin their assault.

Only one of them seemed familiar to me, and as I saw Vegeta rush into the breach followed by a dozen others, many looking like the monsters I had seen attacking Earth over the years, I yelled out to them to stop. Too late... Far too late to be any good, my scream fell on ears deafened by a fear of death unparalleled in the history of history.

First Vegeta, then a woman close behind, then each of the others, one by one, attacked the shining figure of Shaikoten, each with energies that far outweighed my own, and each of their attacks either met no resistance and had no effect, were dispersed before they landed, or reversed upon their user multiplied ten-fold.

It was a slaughter, a massacre, there was no hope for them... Immortal as they were, with near-infinite energies to draw upon, they were powerless before this being. Many opted for the direct approach, firing blasts of energy at this greatest of all opponents, some going for more subtle approaches, and attacking with debilitating physical and mental effects, that were less than useless, for their foe felt nothing.

Of them all, only Vegeta chose to attack with his crushing physical strength. Perpetually in a state of battle-readiness far exceeding that of any other warrior, and always at the utmost height of that power, the reddish-brown fur that covered both his arms, and the uppermost portion of his torso, the only evidence of the transformation.

In a second, Vegeta had already thrown a dozen punches, and easily as many kicks, without any visible effect. How was this possible? Vegeta? Immortal? And yet nothing... This is insane! Thoughts were swirling through my head like a tornado, a great funnel of circulating calculations that were completely impotent, just like me.

Then, within the centre of that cone, the swirling vortex of abysmal dismay, came one idea, crystal in it's clarity, and so simple that it would have been overlooked. The only actions he took were reactions. Certainly the powers he had obtained were more than sufficient to cause all of us to cease existence with a thought, and yet he did not use it save in his own defense.

"Stop!" No words had been spoken for so long, they were as a foreign thing, meeting no resistance, but being so incredibly out of place that they seemed meaningless. No one listened.

Instead, the fight merely increased in intensity, Immortal fighting Infinite, with the clear winner being Infinite. Nothing the Immortals did had any effect, It was like any energy they threw at him was just sucked up like so much water to a sponge. When Vegeta hit Shaikoten, it was Vegeta that bled, not Shaikoten. Yet still they pressed on.

How am I supposed to stop the Universe's destruction? I'm no where near as powerful as them, and they have no effect whatsoever. They are doing everything they can, and it was like they weren't even there... That was when the answer hit me. They're NOT there! At least, not to Shaikoten. It's the same reason why Lucavex mustn't have been able to use it himself!

It was too obvious now... The powers of the Immortals was sourced in the strength of the Dragonballs, who's power comes from the No-Star-Ball. All the energy came from the same place, so to Shaikoten the Immortals really didn't exist... Only someone who's power was not sourced in the Dragonballs themselves, could defeat him.

But that was too easy... Then Durine wouldn't have been able to illicit any response from Shaikoten at all... No there must be more to it.. But what?

The fight raged on, with attacks easily able to destroy planets being launched from every available staging point. The flashes of light in front of me kept disappearing as if they no longer existed. Vegeta was still attempting to pummel Shaikoten into oblivion, without visible effect. In fact, the only ones who seemed to be effected by the Immortal's attack were the God's themselves... They were weary, tired, slowly losing the will to fight.

No action, only reaction. Someone who's power did not stem from the Dragonballs.. But then why did Shaikoten react to Durine? The answer eluded me, tauntingly close, familiar, on the tip of my tongue, but unable to just show itself. Then in a rush, it came to me, the fight faded from my vision, and I saw only darkness.

Into that darkness came a voice, strained from age, but still deep as an ocean, strong as a mountain, implacable, immovable, and impossibly large. With that deep sonorous booming came the words that I had shied from so long ago, words that hit me to the core.

  
  


"In time there shall come, one who knows not why." Innocence.

"He shall possess a body not born, a form such as a great warrior might have." Power.

"He shall carry within him a lonely heart, as of a husband bereaved." Love.

"And he shall have the tortured soul, as of one destined to do great things." Need.

  
  


The words of the prophecy rang through my mind, blazing light in the darkness of my soul. It was not Morn's voice that said them, that much I knew. It would only be many years later upon reflection of the events that understanding would don upon me, that it was an echo of the voice of Shenlong, the original Prophet, that I was hearing.

It was me. I'm the only one who could do anything, and my decision was going to make the choice for the Universe. Deep down, I had always known it, even since before hearing the Prophecy, I knew that there was some greater destiny here. I had tried to deny it, tried to run away from it, but here it was staring me in the face and I had to make a choice.

But what was the right choice? If I acted, and did the wrong thing, then the Universe would cease to exist. If I did nothing, then Shaikoten might stay this way for all eternity, or he might do nothing. Down either road there were perils unlike any other, and this road was one only I alone could traverse.

My vision returned slowly, as if I had all the time in the world, as if nothing else could possibly matter, and perhaps that was true. As the darkness receded, the flashes of brilliant multi-coloured light resumed. Ramza held back, protecting Durine who merely lay still, Vorack stood huddled against Xev who stood impassively, doing nothing.

Deliberately, I took one step towards Shaikoten, one foot placed slightly closer to him than the other. So great was the weight of my decision that, that one motion took nearly all my resolve. Yet somehow, I took another, and another, taking small, innocent steps, ever nearer. I walked right through the attacks of the Immortals, Shaikoten's presence protecting me.

One by one though, they ended their attacks, either too weary, or too surprised to continue. Last was Vegeta, knuckles bloodied, red running down his arm and dripping with disturbing regularity onto the growing pool of wetness at his feet. In time though, even he made way for me, and as he did, the only sounds that could be hear were labored breathing, and the steady drip-drip of rapidly thickening blood.

At last, I was there, confronting Shaikoten, in complete peace, reverted now to a state of total innocence. Whatever decision I might make, it no longer mattered, this destiny was mine, and mine alone, and I had no choice in the matter.

Only then did I begin to release the fullness of my energies, the golden radiance spewing forth, outshining for a moment, the many disastrous blasts the Immortals had thrown. It was in no way the equal to any of them, but it would have to be enough. It took but a moment more, but I released the hidden power within me, allowing it to bellow it's greatness in their assembled faces, transcending the Super-Saiyajinn to something more.

My clothes billowed around me in the winds created by my transformation, my skin still maintaining the shining luminescence of golden-white light. I wasn't sure why I did it, or even if it would make any difference, but that didn't matter anymore. The Prophecy said I had power, and this was my power.

Without any further adieu, I reached up, touching my hand not to Shaikoten, but to the No-Star-Ball itself. At the last moment I froze for an instant, unsure if this was the correct action, but then, resigned to my decision, I pushed myself forward, and my fingers came into contact with the perfectly smooth, featureless orange orb, within which lay all the power of the Universe.

The shock of it was too much, far too much for anyone to survive, but somehow I did. The now-familiar blank black landscape of my inner mind resumed, but this time with a difference. Shaikoten was in here with me. In here we were no longer touching, physical presence was meaningless anyways.

Then I learned to true meaning of the word Power, and why it was in the Prophecy. It was not my power, but the power of the Universe. It was too much for one person to handle, so much power that it erased everything else, it gave Shaikoten no room in which to exist. That was why there was nothing left of him, at least, that was what we thought. But what would certainly overwhelm one, might be able to exist between two, at least, for a time.

But he did exist still, just not in the same way we thought. His spirit remained nearby, floating close to where it once had physical form, but unable to enter again, though the body was alive. The body and mind had been separated, with too much power in the middle, too great a span to cross.

They say that love is a bridge, and so it was now. Not love for Shaikoten, but love for everything. I couldn't let the memory of Sarah fade from existence as if she had never been. So great a betrayal would that be that the memory of the love we shared could act as a bridge, to span the chasm of power that lay between Shaikoten and his body.

And then the last part of the Prophecy came. Need. Not my need, not mine at all. Nor was it Shaikoten's need either. No one being could lay claim to this need. It belonged to all of us, our own need to exist, to continue, to go on. It was the Power's need to be used, it was Shaikoten's spirit's need for it's flesh, it was every need all of us had at once.

Still, I had made the bridge, but it was not my choice to allow him to cross. I could see the fear in Shaikoten's face, as he gazed at the chasm, infinitely deep that lay between us. I could do nothing but have faith that he would make the right decision. In the end it really did come down to faith.

"Perhaps Faith will be enough, at the end." Morn's voice this time, so accepting, such trust .

"Faith is never enough." My own words came back to haunt me.

I could see that they haunted Shaikoten too, as he hesitated to take that first, fateful step. He could not put his faith in me, could not put his faith in himself, for he had no faith to give.

I despaired, the Universe was lost, the power would destroy everything as if it had never been. At first I cried out, mourning the loss that would never be remembered. Then I ended my scream, my voice hoarse, ragged. Instead, I mourned quietly, tears falling unbidden from my eyes.

"I wish I could say I would miss you Sarah. I wish that I might remember you. I wish so many things, but most of all, I wish that I was strong enough to have done this thing. It was not enough. I was not enough." Murmured, mumbled words, but they carried.

The bridge I had built to span the great power had begun to crumble, disintegrating into nothingness, it was almost gone. Only then did the stubborn Demi-Saiyajinn move onto it, trusting it to hold him. A wave of relief passed through me as I saw him begin to finally try. I held, somehow, I held.

Maybe minutes, maybe seconds, maybe forever. No one knows how long that endless moment lasted, but in time, Shaikoten passed from the beam, that shining gray example of love, and passed through to safety on my own side. Too weary for words I knelt down in the black nothingness, and wept openly, smiling my own secret smile of unsurpassed relief.

I looked up finally, and saw the face of Shaikoten, the half-breed Saiyajinn who had for one brief moment been in control of the greatest power in the Universe. He was not whole, he might never be whole, but in time perhaps even that could heal, and time was the one thing we might now have.

  
  
  
  


Nothing. Since I touched the No-Star-Ball no time had elapsed, there was no time between that moment, and the one in which I found myself, grasping the No-Star-Ball in my hand, falling away from him an a fantastic rate. It was Ramza who caught me, flying through the air. Bringing me back slowly to the tallest tower of Lucavex's former palace.

I slid motionless to the ground, my eyes glazed over too surprised that I was still alive to do much more than that. The deep orange orb slid from mindless fingers, and across the ground, forgotten.

"How? What? Why?" Vorack had too many questions to voice at once, but it was Xev that answered them all.

"Don't ask. Just accept that this is real, and move from this day hence with that knowledge." Xev had a calming influence over all of us. 

The Gods who remained fell down near to us. Of the dozen Immortal beings who had begun this contest, only half of them remained, the others had been destroyed by their own reflected energies. None of them even tried to get the No-Star-Ball, keeping their distance from it, and from the rest of us. 

"What now?" Durine was finally awake, having been healed not long ago by the little Namekian warrior. Again he seemed to act as our collective voice, setting out thoughts to sound in as few words as possible.

"I think everyone here will agree that it is my job to answer that." My voice was hollow strained, but steady, far more steady than I had thought it could be under the circumstances. The others looked to me for advice, for help, to answer their questions.

"I think we should probably all go right back to our normal lives, and just ignore this, don't forget it, just don't let it rule us." There was general nodding, and agreement, they knew it was sound advice, perhaps more so than they knew.

"But what about that?" Ramza was pointing at the tiny orange marble sitting quietly some distance away, all too near Shaikoten's still form. 

"Get rid of it. Shenlong tried to get rid of it by throwing it into a star. We know that didn't work, and none of us are anywhere near powerful enough to destroy it. There's only one place I know of that might do that, and even if it wasn't destroyed, it will be safe, safer than anywhere else I can think of."

The others held on my every word as I explained my idea, and after a few gasps of surprise, and several grim frowns, along with a nod or two of agreement, they eventually were all persuaded that my solution was the only reasonable one...

  
  
  
  


"Well I had best be off. I hate long goodbye's." I waved goodbye to the others, each one of them more brother than friend.

"You're sure you wanna go right now? Won't you stay for a little while longer?" Durine's offer of hospitality was generous, too generous really, but one I couldn't accept.

"Nah... I really should be leaving. Maybe I'll see you guys again someday, but there are a lot of things that I still have to settle, and I can't do it here. But... Thanks." I left the rest unsaid, that one word saying enough.

Ramza moved quickly, grasping my forearm in a clasp of friendship and comradery. "You will be sorely missed." Nothing more was needed.

Xev waved from behind them both, having decided to stay with them, the only people he had ever known as friends. He wasn't sure just how much help he could be, but with thousands of years of experience, he was a welcome addition to their little band, which had shrunk rather markedly through this one battle.

There were no more words, and I had already said goodbye to the little Namek child, who had decided to stay behind with Ramza. The two of them had forged a friendship that was far deeper than anything that the rest of us had. I was a little sad that he wouldn't be seeing me off, but I figured that would be for the best, as I didn't think I had the heart to say goodbye to him.

Without further adieu, I got up the ramp to my newly restored spacecraft, and closed the hatch. I waited for the signal that the bay doors had opened, and set the ship to launch. There was a deep rumbling roar, more felt than heard, and then i could feel the crushing weight as we blasted off.

After a while, I unbuckled my belt, and looked out one of the small Plasti-Glass windows. The tiny bluish orb that slowly shrunk in the distance was already receding from me. All my friends, and so many memories were home there, I nearly changed my mind, and turned the ship around. But I held my course, turned on the gravitron-device and continued my training.

So long. And thanks. For everything.

  
  
  
  


"So how is your brother doing?" Ramza's words were a little out of place, after Hoshito's ship had only just blasted off, but they were words designed to take Durine back to the present.

"He's okay. He just need rest is all. He's still in the recovery chamber. I don't know how Hoshito brought him back, but I'm glad he's back. Maybe now he will show some compassion for others." Durine's eyes were filled with hope.

"Fat chance." Ramza had just shattered that hope. Durine's pained expression told Ramza how much those words hurt. Then Ramza cracked a smile, and they both laughed, belatedly realizing he was just joking.

It took the two of them quite some time to recover their composure, but as they walked back to their duties, it was hand in hand, as friends.

"Think we shoulda told him?"

"Nah... It's more fun this way."

  
  
  
  


The darkness of space. Comforting, familiar, necessary. Just how Hoshito knew this was here, he would never know, but now was not a time to question. If this was not done, then there would likely be others who would covet this power, and retrieve it for some dire purpose. That was a chance he was unwilling to take.

Even so, in the end, the thought that made him follow through with their plan, was the single driving desire that if he couldn't have this power, than no one else would have it either. In the end though, it really didn't matter why he did this, only that he did.

So the tiny orange sphere was lost once more, though this time, not in light, but in darkness. A great, overwhelming darkness so complete that nothing could escape it's grasp. Not even light. The orange orb began it's slow and steady spiral down to the core of the black hole, quickly lost in the black darkness of distance.

With a motion of disgust at such a waste, Vegeta turned his back upon the retreating marble, and disappeared, returning to Rei's bedchambers, to relieve the accumulated stress of centuries.

If he had stayed, perhaps it wouldn't have happened, but in any case, he wasn't around to witness the true end to the No-Star-Ball. As it spiraled down, nearing what they assumed would be it's end, the dragon was reborn. Like a Phoenix from the ashes it rose, though this time, it was the ashes of a star.

For many thousands of years, the Eternal Dragon had lain in wait, deep within the fiery centre of a star. Waiting for the time when it could return. Newly reborn, the Dragon leapt into space, smiling at the recent events. It was the first time anyone had been able to resist the allure of Ultimate Power. This Hoshito person would bare watching...

Then there was a minute flash of light, light that was drunk up like so much cheap wine by the quantum singularity, so that no one, not even if they were watching, would ever know what had happened. When the light dissipated, the Dragon was gone.

  
  
  
  


"Vorack. You should have said something earlier. I wouldn't have shoved the gravity up so high." The little kid was bet and determined that he wasn't getting on this ship unless he was a stowaway.

"I know. But I didn't want you to know I was here for a quite a while longer. I wanted to make sure that you couldn't go back and leave me alone." His words were familiar by now, it was beginning to be a habit.

"But, I thought you were going to stay with Ramza and Durine. Help them with their mission." I was confused, perplexed, but accepting of his presence.

"I know. But then I got to thinking. I mean, sure, Ramza's nice, but you're the one I came with, I started this journey with you, and I think I should finish it with you too." Brave words from one so small.

I didn't really know what to say to that, so I said nothing, I just reached down, gave him a noogie, and laughed. I set the gravity back up to ten G's again, and got back to training the little tyke.

It was going to be a long trip...

  
  
  
  


A pile of rock, debris, nothing important. One tiny pebbles stumbles down the heaping pile of rubble, starting a small avalanche. Then all is quiet again, calm, quiescent. A deep rumbling sound can be felt more than heard, a pounding increasing in pressure. Then the rocks explode outwards in a blaze of pure white light.

From the centre of that explosion waltzes a large mutated being, evil to the core, and free now from the constraints of his masters will. Lucavex was dead, and now, Marrec had the freedom to live his own life, the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

And what he wanted now, was to kill.

  
  
  
  


The End!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
